Joker encounters
by rosieali
Summary: Anna finds herself in the midst of Gotham's crime wars due to a mistaken encounter with the Joker. Based on scenes from the Dark Knight. I own nothing. Each chapter is a new encounter.
1. Bank Robbery

Anna stared mindlessly at the clock on the far wall, the ticking off the clock seemed to be moving in slow motion, if it was even moving at all. A phone rang in the distance, a shuffle of files, this office had to be the most boring place she'd ever been. Gotham National Bank, who'd have known! With its glossy marbled floors and daily billionaire customers... Anna snapped out of her daze, wiping drool from her lip. 'It'll be fabulous work experience DAAWLING!' Yeah thanks Aunt Penny, great work experience up here with the accountants. I'm a young vivacious student for God's sake, give me some damn interesting work!

'Anna!'

Anna's head jumped up from the book it had been lying in, 'Wh- What?'

'Enjoying ones self I see?' Penny smiled her atrociously cheesy grin.  
'Of course..' Anna smiled back, closing the book over and smoothing down her hair. 'Too much not to do me a favour no?' Penny tapped a pencil of Anna's head, making her grimace.

'No, no! Not at all, especially if it involves me getting you a coffee maybe? Down in that place a few blocks away..?' Anything, _anything_, to get out of this lifeless morgue.

'Oh! HA-HA-HA-HAA!' Penny gave a massive chuckle, shaking the airwaves of the silent office, 'Oh aren't you a treat! A few blocks away! How mean would I be sending you off that far!'

'Bu-'

'NO no!' Penny swatted Anna once again while she fought the urge not to grab the pencil and fling it at her chubby eyeball, 'I wouldn't HAVE it! Its far less a favour I need ask in reality...'

'Oh, well... whatever you need then...' Anna's mind wandered, betting anything she'd have her sorting filing cabinets like yesterday. 'Precious!' Penny gave Anna her award winning grin once again, 'Fetch me a box from upstairs would you be so kind?'

Anna smiled in somewhat relief, no filing cabinets and a chance to stretch her legs, 'Yes, of course.'

'Its a rather large one mind you, you might need a trolley from the roof?' Penny waved her hand, 'But you'll figure it out, it'll be on aisle C in the storage room, category number 441...' Penny stopped her hand waving at stared at Anna, 'Are you writing this down then?'

'Oh, oh sorry...' Anna grabbed a pen and paper and started scribbling down. 'You know I would do it myself, but I've got to be downstairs at reception now? That's the only reason I ask Darling.' Penny flashed her white teeth.

'Just bring it to my desk...No, actually yours...I might have you work on it later.'

'Of course.' Anna muttered, sticking the pen back in its holder. 'WHY thank you Darling! I'll see you later then Toodle!' And with that and a flurry of pink wooly blazer, Penny was off, leaving Anna sitting on her chair with her instructions.

* * *

Step 1: Trolley from the roof

Anna poked the elevator's posh gold button for the top floor, this place was swanky. The elevator was massive, three times the size of any average one she'd been on. And with marbled floors and mirrors everywhere, Anna stared at her own reflection, trying to mimic Penny's ridiculous smile. She looked every bit the student. Her first day felt so casual but Penny assured her it added youth and vitality to the workplace, whatever the hell that means. But she was comfy, so she didn't give a toss.

The elevator didn't make a sound as it opened onto the roof, fresh air hitting her face, she froze. A man, standing about half way across the rooftop, fumbling with a bag, his back facing her. Another, lying face up a few feet away with a clown mask on, nearly making her jump at the thought he was looking at her. But he was still, and blood gushed from his skull, a gun lay beside him. What kind of gun she hadn't a clue but she picked it up anyway and pointed it at the other, whose weapon was also on the ground. 'Put your hands up or I'll shoot you.'

What in the holy heck are you doing, you're holding a gun, there's a dead man right beside you. Anna put thoughts of reason to the back of her mind, she had the upper hand, he had no weapon. What else could she do? Get in the elevator and press a button only to be shot in the back? Run? Yeah fat chance. Just act confident, act like you know what you're doing.

The man froze just as Anna had, and his head creaked slowly around revealing another clown mask. 'Lets n-'

'Put your hands up.' Anna said, louder this time. The man's hands rose slowly. 'Get in the elevator. Now.'

Anna walked towards the right as the man walked forward into the elevator. 'Get on the ground, in the corner, on your knees with your hands behind your head.' The man merely stared at Anna, his mask taunting her. 'I'll shoot you like you shot him, you know it.' Anna glared at him, holding the gun tighter. He lowered himself to his knees slowly, still staring at Anna, who stared, unflinchingly back. She walked cautiously into the elevator, the opposite side to him, 'You make a wrong move, you're dead. I won't even look where I'm shooting, I'll just fire at you.' She felt the elevator buttons with her left hand, still gripping the gun in her other hand and pressed the ground floor button.

'Oh good.' The man spoke, 'That's where I'm going too.'

Anna didn't reply, her mind suddenly racing. He was hardly alone, this wasn't a solo robbery. She gulped. Soft jazz music played in the background and the clown face stared point blank at her. 'Ping'

The door opened to a huge crash as a bus drove though the wall to the elevators right and both Anna and the clown moved to the ground. 'Get out!' Anna shouted and he ran forward into the main hall of the bank, followed by Anna. 'What th-' Anna muttered, taking in her surroundings. People cowered at the edge of the room in silence, the manager lay motionless on the ground, and two men, wearing a similar mask as the man Anna pointed her gun at, were throwing bags into the bus. 'Hey!' Anna shouted, causing the two men to turn to her, 'Stop what you're doing or I kill your friend.'

'Ha!' One of the men threw his hands up, 'Look at this, got caught by a little girl.'

'Shut up.' Anna pointed her gun higher. 'Boss won't be happy when he finds out you got caught out to that.' The same guy ignored Anna.

'I'll shoot your friend!'

A sudden 'zip' sound and the clown from the roof fell to the floor. Anna gasped in horror. 'What th-', another 'zip' and the clown talking dropped. One remained, 'zip', an unbearable pain seared through Anna's right hand, the gun fell and clattered on the ground. Her face contorted as she clutched her hand and stumbled backwards. Pain like nothing she'd ever felt before, she was unable to see the bullet lodged in her skin with the amount of blood seeping out. She didn't see him leave but the sound of the bus leaving faded in the background, followed by ambulance sirens all blocked out by pain.


	2. Mob Meeting

Anna blinked at the bright light of the room. It was a silver, what looked like a kitchen storage room to her. There were pots and pans and kitchen utensils lined up on metal shelves. She was adjusting to the light, trying to remember how she'd got here. Why was sh-  
A shooting pain ran up her hand behind her as she realised they were tied together behind the chair she was sitting on. The bank! She'd been shot in the hand at the bank. Anna looked down, noticing what she was wearing, pyjama shorts and a white hospital gown, with 'Gotham General Hospital' stitched in red on the right. She had been in hospital, well obviously, her hand. She must have collapsed, nothing seemed clear after the shooting. But she most defiantly couldn't be at the hospital now...

Loud muffled voices came from outside the door in front of her, a laugh, footsteps coming closer. The handle of the door clicked, 'Wakey wakey at last, huh?'  
Anna looked at the man in confusion, saying nothing. He looked foreign, black hair tied in a ponytail behind a rough face. She didn't recognize him at all.

'Get up.' A gun pointed at Anna and her mouth dropped, 'Wh-?'

'Up.'

Anna stood, her hands behind her back. 'Out.' Anna walked out the door obediently, the mans gun still pointed at her. She was in a normal looking hallway, 'Door on right.'

Anna walked up to the silver door, 'In.'

She looked at the door then back at the man, What was going on?

'In!'

Anna shouldered the door open and was pushed forward by the man, 'This the one.'  
The room was a large kitchen, they must be in a hotel. A large conference table was set up, surrounded by men who turned around to look at her. One of them gave a scoff.  
'You're tellin me...' One pointed at her, 'She's workin' with this 'Joker' guy?'

Anna shuffled, 'What! I'm not working with... I don't even know who that is!'  
'You don' know who that is...' The man behind her murmured, 'Just happened to help him steal 68 million of my money yesterday, hm?' He pocked the gun at the back of her head.

'No, no!' Anna raised her hands, 'I didn't steal-'

'Gotham general bank? Ring a bell? Started there this week coincidently, witness' say he let you go..' He shoved Anna forward to the table.  
'That's the Joker you're talking about?!' Anna's mind flashed back to the clown mask, 'He shot me! I was hardly helping him!'

'Perfect scapegoat...' A darker man turned towards her. 'Now Gambol..' Another muttered.  
Anna couldn't believe this, the most ridiculous idea she'd even heard, _her_ robbing a bank?!  
'I held one of his workers at gunpoint!' Anna pointed out and the man named Gambol hit his hand off the table making her jump, 'You were doing him a favour, he killed them anyway! You're going to tell us everything! Where he is and where _our money is. If I have to make you, I will.'_  
'I d-' Anna began in astonishment when she was interrupted by a television she'd noticed for the first time.

'It means nothing gentlemen.' Everyone turned towards the screen, 'It is but a mere sum. Rest assured the rest of your money...is safe.'

'Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...'

A quiet filled the room, broken my the slow mocking laugh from the left and footsteps of a man.  
Tall, sauntering, dragging out his hollow creaking voice.

'ha ha ha ho he he aha ha ho he ha aha'

Anna stepped back towards the television unknowingly and subconsciously as an awkward and tension filled air weighed down the room.

'And I thought my jokes were bad.' The Joker walked up to the table unflinchingly, dressed in a purple coat and eerily painted face, Gambols face held back no disgust, 'Give me one reason why I shouldn't have my boy here pull your head off.'

'How 'bout a magic trick?' He raised his hands suggestively as the whole crew stared at him, some in curiosity, others like Gambol, in dislike.  
The Joker slammed his hand on the table, a pencil stuck into its surface, 'I'm going to make this pencil disappear!' He looked around, swirling his hands around the pencil.

One of Gambols men stood up, adjusting his tie at the gesture from Gambol, and approached the Joker. A 'Slap' sound and the mans face slammed against the table and he slumped to the floor, the pencil disappearing. 'Ta-daa!' He sat down, 'It's… ma… it's gone!' He looked around at the table for reactions and met Anna's perplexed eye. A brief second and Anna could feel her heart seem to freeze inside, his eyes quickly flicked back to Gambol, 'Oh and by the way..' He fixed himself up, '..the suit wasn't cheap, you_oughta know_ you _bought_ it.'

Gambol flinched but the man opposite waved him down, 'I want to hear proposition.'

The Joker gestured towards him. With no response he continued, 'Let's wind the clocks back a year.' He leant forward on the table, 'These cops and lawyers wouldn't dare cross any of you. I mean what happened?' He shrugged his shoulders, ' Did... did your balls drop off. Hmm?'  
No one answered, ' You... you see a guy like me...'

Anna fumbled with the tie's around her hands behind her back. She would take an opportunity of distraction to escape, even slip out. These Mob bosses had no interest in her now. Laughter rose among the group and Anna's left hand was looser.  
A guy like me, look, listen,..' The joker continued, 'I know why you choose to have your.. little' He coughed, 'Group therapy sessions in broad daylight. '

Anna stood still at the silence and sudden seriousness of the group.

'The batman.'

Anna shuffled slightly in pain of wrenching her right hand free from the tie. More laughter. Anna zoned out, focusing on getting both hands out.

A gun clicked and Anna felt the cold metal against her right temple, she froze and the room turned. 'This one's plannin' an escape, Boss.'

'Take her outside.' Gambol nodded to the door, 'Teach her a lesson.'

'N-' An arm grabbed her hands, making her jerk in pain as the barrel of the gun dug further into her head.

'Listen,.' The Joker drew back Gambols attention, 'If we don't deal with this now soon… little, ah, Gambol here won't be able to get a, a nickel for his little play toy here.'

'ENOUGH! I've had enough of this clown!' Gambol shouted, standing up and his men moved suddenly.

The man wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her further towards the door...

'Ah, ta-ta-ta,'

The room froze as the Joker stood up, revealing an array of grenades and explosives strapped to his chest, holding the string in his thumb, 'Let's not blow… this out of proportion.'

The arm freed Anna as her perpetrator took a step back in fear. The room did the same, its members stepping back in sudden fear. 'I'm puttin' the word out.' Gambol spat, 'Five hundred grand for this clown dead. A _million _alive so I can teach him some manners first.'

'Yeah...' The Joker pointed at Gambol as if to say something then moved and addressed the rest, 'Alright so listen why don't you give me a call when you want to start taking... thingsa little more ...seriously.'

He was going to leave. She had to escape. Anna looked at the door the Joker had arrived through and the same one he would soon leave in. There was no way she was going with him, but also no chance she was staying here.

'Here's my...'

Anna didn't hear the rest of what the Joker had to say as she bolted for the back door she had came through. They were in a hotel right? There had to be an escape door. She ran like she'd never ran before, shouldering the door open, both arms still tied together behind, not looking back to see if any of the mob were following her. A right, then a left, another right. She had no idea where the hell she was going when 'SLAM'

Anna was smacked face first against the wall with nothing to support her as her hands were bound. A flap door from her left opened suddenly and the person rushing out of it had bumped right into her, 'Oh HA he, I'm sorry?' The Joker gave her a flashing yellow smile, gesturing towards where Anna was heading, 'Were you going this way _too?'_

Anna stared at him, breathing heavily from her sprint. She leant against the wall, out of breath, 'I..don't know.'

'Don't know, _hm?_' The Joker whipped a knife from his coat and Anna moved suddenly. 'Don't need help out of those a'ties?' He cocked his head to the side, 'You were working on 'em long enough _ahh?'  
_Anna looked down at the knife and the back at the Joker with no answer.  
'You should work on your _subtlety..'_

Muffled shouts came from behind them and Anna and the Joker looked down the hallway, thankfully breaking awkward eye contact, 'No time for _chit-chat_ sorrrrry..' He suddenly sliced through the ties and Anna's hands broke apart. The shouting grew particularly louder and the Joker began to run, leaving Anna looking to the door on her left..'The exits _this wayyy..' _She heard the joker shout loudly and after glancing at his running figure, the door and then the hallway, she groaned and started to sprint once again, after the Joker.

He was leading her to the exit, I mean would she really want to be with him or with the mob? Anna debated her dilemma in her mind as she sprung after the purple coat. He had a coat full of explosives... yeah but they were convinced she stole 68 million dollars from them. Now they were sure to think she was working with him.

The Joker reached the end of the hallway and pushed open the exit door revealing the broad daylight of Gotham City. Where in Gotham City she had no idea.  
Anna bolted after him, setting foot into the streets and slamming the door behind her. He was walking towards the left so she turned to the right, should she say thanks? She'd be still inside running around if it weren't for him... but he did just _rob_ a bank killing multiple people and shoot her in the hand...

'Hey-' She turned but he'd stepped into the back of a black jeep. Anna watched as the window rolled down and a purple gloved hand flung something out before driving off. It flew in the wind to land on the curb, small white playing card. The Joker.


	3. Gambols end

1 week later

* * *

'Didn't take long to find you.' Gambol hit a ball with his pool cue on an immaculate pool table in the centre of the room. 'My men are quick.' He smirked, 'They can sniff out the bad ones.'

Anna stared blankly at the wall behind Gambol, blinking back tears. Her arm was most definitely broken. They broke into her house while she was cooking lunch, she no longer had her work experience at Gotham's Bank as it had stopped work in order to refurbish. In broad daylight too, fear of the Batman.  
'Think you could just walk away?' He rubbed his cue with chalk, 'Think you can get away from me?' He blew the chalk softly with a sickening grin.

Anna fought the urge to roll her eyes, her mouth was gagged, did he expect her to answer or something? Idiot. Anyway, they brought her here to some club or something of Gambol's and thought it'd be great to give her injured arm a nice twist and tug, perfect form of torture. And it snapped, along with shrieks of uncontrollable pain. It was bloodied from the gunshot wound and bruised everywhere, and swollen in the middle where the snap came from. They still thought she was working with the Joker, their suspicions were apparently proven by the fact that they escaped together. Anna was convinced these gangsters were too dumb to even think she could_ possibly _be innocent. Or maybe they just liked hurting people.

'My guys have had their fun..' Gambol picked up pool ball, 'Now its time for mine.' He flung the ball full force at Anna's arm and she let out a full fledged scream in pain, muffled by her gag.

'Now Y-'

'Gambol...' Two of the men who'd brought Anna here stood at the doorway and Gambol looked up, 'There's somebody here for you, they say they've just killed the Joker.'  
Gambol smirked, Let them in.' He turned back to Anna who was wincing in agony, 'See _Anna,_ I told you we sniff out the bad ones.'

The men walked in, carrying guns and a body bag, Anna's any hope for saviour was dwindling. They placed the bag on the table and Gambol inspected it, turning back to Anna, 'Looks like your boss is dead, Anna.'

'So!' He raised his arms to the three new men, 'That's five hundred dead-'

'What about alive?'  
The Joker had his knife to Gambols cheek, the new men pointed guns at Gambols, bringing them to their knees, one of them stepping across the room to point at Anna. She tried to shout, to let them know she was innocent, she wasn't with Gambol, but the gag silenced her. Anna shook against the chair she was in, her arms and legs bound, trying to catch the attention of the guy holding a gun to her head. But he wasn't even looking at her, just watching the joker talking to Gambol.

'Why so serious?'  
Gambol fell to the ground, blood spilling from his throat.  
'Now.' The Joker removed the cover of the bag and stepped off the table, 'Our operation is small..' He gestured to his three men, 'But there's a lottt of potential,'  
He picked up the pool cue Gambol had just been using, 'For aggressive..' He shook his hands and then expanded them, '..expansion!'

'So which of you fine gentlemen would like to join our _team?'_ He pointed the cue at both.

'Oh...' He looked thoughtfully at them, 'There's only one spot available at the moment so we're gonna have _tryyouutts.'_  
He looked towards Anna for the first time, 'Oh and you..' The Joker walked towards her, 'Ya know since you're arm is a little bit..' He snapped the cue in half, 'And you know it is _partly_ myy fault you're, ah, here..' He waved his hand at the man pointing his gun at her and he proceeded to cut her loose and ungagging her.

'And it was me who shot you in the hand..' He rolled his eyes.

'And of course, since you're..a..little girly..'

Anna sighed in relief. He was letting her go, she really should have said thank you last week.

'You get to have this half..' He flung half of the cue at her which she caught awkwardly in her left hand, 'While they have to fight over that one.'

Anna looked down at the cue in a moment of pure confusion, what? The Joker flung the other half cue between two of Gambols men, 'Make it quick.'  
She glanced from the cue to the two men in horror, no way. This could not be happening, this would not happen.

She flung the cue at the Jokers back making him stop in his tracks, 'This is bullshit and you know it!'

The joker looked over his shoulder first for a moment and then turned fully, '_Whyy?' _He looked at her as if he didn't quite understand, 'Because you know you'll lose?'

'No.' Anna stared at him, she would lose... but that didn't matter.

'Yes..'

'Because I'm not going to fight_..'_ Alison gestured to the cue, '..to the _death. _Even if I could win.'

'Then you'll die.' The Joker clapped his hands in a simple as that motion and turned around to walk away.

'They won't either.' Anna said loudly, noticing that neither of Gambols men had moved.

The Joker turned again, swifter this time, 'Yeah..they will.'

'You're wrong.'

'Listen..' The Joker advanced on Anna, a knife in hand, 'Don't get me wrong..' He looked down at her, 'I like the whole "innocent" thing, I really do...'  
Anna flinched slightly at his words, 'But don't act dumb enough that you don't think one of these _guys..._' He smiled an eerie toothless smile, 'One of these...that did _that_ to your arm, wont think twice about _shovingg_ a stick into your stomach.'

'Not everyone-'

A shout as one of Gambols men falls to the floor, a cue sticking out of his chest. One of them took advantage of the moment making Anna shake and the Joker laugh incredulously, 'Now _that _is what I wanna see! Bold moves! Decision making!'

The man stood up, bloodied cue in hand, eying Anna. 'No...no..' Anna backed up, 'Don't do this.'

The man made a run and so did Anna, they were both on opposite sides of the pool table. 'They're using you.' Anna could hear the plead in her voice. The man gave a growl and flung the cue at her and she ducked as it stuck into the wall.  
'Unfortunately, everyone _is_ like me!' The Joker clapped at Anna's futile attempts, 'Inside _we're_ allll the same!'

'You're just a pawn!' Anna shouted, ignoring him. 'They'll just discard you when you're finished!'

He ran at her once again and she did too, they ended up on opposite sides again when he flung the pool table upside down. Anna screamed and made her way to the corner of the room, the man tugging at the cue stick in the wall. She was screwed, she was dead. Unless. 'Give me your gun.' Anna ran towards one of the Jokers men who looked at her in surprise, holding the gun from her reach. 'Let her.' The Joker watched Anna with curiosity and excitement.

Anna pointed the gun at the man who stood frozen, unaware that guns were allowed in this game. He stood with his arms tugged around the cue still in the wall. Anna felt the trigger on her finger, the cold metal of the gun was urging her on. He was going to kill her, but she didn't want to kill him. If she did, it meant the Joker was right, that everyone was a cold hearted murderer inside...

Her arm went limp and she exhaled deeply, tossing the gun towards the Jokers feet, 'I won't do it.'  
Gambols man pulled the cue from the wall, looking at her decidedly, he was going to kill her. 'You don't have to-'  
'_Yes _he does.' The Joker had picked up the gun and was swinging it from side to side, 'If one of you doesn't diieee...ah...both of you do...'

Gambols man stepped over the overturned pool table, advancing on Anna, '_Fuck you.'_ She mouthed at the Joker and squeezed her eyes shut when a deafening sound of gunshots filled the air and Gambols man collapsed backwards in mid stride. Anna had barely comprehended the situation when the Joker pulled her into the hallway and shoved her against the wall. 'You know...' The Joker clicked his tongue, pulling his hair back with his knife, 'For a second there I thought you had some balls in you..'  
'There _wayy_ you **pointed **that gun at him..' He pointed his knife at her in mimic, 'Your _collld _eyes...oohhh it gave me the..the _shiverrsss!' _The Joker shook with enjoyment.  
'An.. you see, in their last moments people show you who they really are. ' He clicked his tongue again, 'When you're going to die..you see..you've nothing to hide.'  
'So I know my..ah..my _victims_..' The Joker looked at her as if asking was he using the right word, '..I know them better than their families...or..ah.. than their friends ever did.'

He watched her to see if she was catching on and when Anna said nothing, 'And _noowww, _I know you.'  
'No you don't.' Anna spoke for the first time defiantly.  
'Oh..oh but..but yes I do..' The Joker shook his head, 'You. You're prouudd, you do noootttt like being wrong..so much so..' He raised his shoulders in surprise, 'You would** die**! You..You'd **die..'** He was laughing now, 'To prove a point!'

'I mean..I mean who..' The Joker continued to laugh, '_Who _does that!'  
Anna looked at him in confusion, how was it that funny? She was about to _die.._  
'But..' He straightened up, stroking back his hair with a cloaked hand, trying to regain seriousness, '..that now.._that..._that's commitment.' He pointed his knife at her again, 'Right there.'  
'And _III,_ **like** commitment. '  
'I like it..I like. It.' The joker leant back to look at his three men, 'You hear that Gentlemen?!'  
'Commitment to an idea! To a belief! Commitment!' He grinned, 'I **like** it!'

'Its the kind of idealism I'd like to see in my..ah ..team..'

Anna glared at him, 'I'm not joining your _team.'_

'Ohhh.' The Joker clutched his heart in mock horror, 'Whatever will I do without a little girly with a banged up arm!'  
'I wasn't asking you Sweet-Cheeks..' The Joker's demure altered, 'Your..ah..handicap, won't work in this job unfortunately...'  
Anna stared at him, 'Then _what _do you want?'

'Oh.._mee?!' _The Joker looked surprised, 'I..I don't want _anything! _I just want to let you know why you're not dead!'  
Anna shuffled against the wall, 'Then I can leave.'  
'Oh, well _whyy_ didn't you say you wanted to!' He held his arms out the doorway. 'I thought you were getting a **kick** out of being here!'

Anna pulled open the door, her right arm hanging lifelessly by her side.  
'And..I'd get that..' The Joker pointed his knife at her arm, '..that thing sorted out..it might be an issue.'

Oh thanks, Anna closed the door and started walking as fast as possible, didn't know that already.


	4. Wayne's Fundraiser

Thank you to reviewers Rebel1RaeDawn, janie and susimuffin! :-)

* * *

2 weeks on

* * *

'Guest of Honour Anna Hart.' Her name was in swirly writing underneath the campaign poster for Harvey Dent. A flutter of girly excitement filled her stomach, this was damn fancy party. And she was Dent's guest of honour.

Bruce Wayne was holding a fundraiser for Dent, who as known by everyone in Gotham, was pushing the idea of a changed view on law enforcement in the city. The idea that opposed corruption and lawlessness, and praised taking a stand against it. Who better to have as a guest of honour than someone who 'bravely' pointed a gun at organised crime. Standing up against armed criminals who robbed Gotham National Bank, while everyone else stood idly by.

Dent had called it a 'leading example' and an 'immense display of courage' when he came to visit her in Gotham General Hospital, while she sat in awe on the bed. Then he'd asked if she would be the guest of honour and a fundraising event at Bruce Wayne's penthouse. Well now that was just the icing on the cake. She was being honoured, at a billionaire's home, among the high and mighty of Gotham. And she got to wear a dress. An asymmetric Grecian style one at that, with one long sleeved arm in attempt to cover the chunky cast and metal supporting around it.

* * *

The night was here, everyone was unbelievably friendly, treating her like a celebrity. Bruce Wayne's pent house was immaculate, along with the people occupying it. One man, the owner of Gotham General Hospital asked if she'd take a visit and speak to people affected by organised crime as a role model. Harvey left with Rachael at the arrival of the decadent Master Wayne, but Anna had begun speaking with one of the models he'd arrived with, who's uncle apparently worked at Gotham's Bank. 'He told us all about it you know...' The girl, Lana, flicked her hair, 'I mean he could have died..' She grabbed two glasses of champagne and handed one to Anna, 'And who robs a bank dressed as a clown? At least be classy about it...'  
Anna gave a scoff in reply, 'True.'  
'And that video on GCN!' Lana took a large swig out of her glass, 'Batman won't turn himself in, I'll bet anything.'  
Anna gave a small 'Mm.' in reply, the Joker's threat seemed pretty serious though. That he'd keep killing innocent people off until Batman turned himself in, maybe Batman will have no choice.  
'But God!' Lana grabbed another glass of champagne, 'That clown is such a fre-'  
'BOOM.' The room shook and a both girls flinched, followed by a silence, stopping Lana mid sentence. Anna and everyone else in the room turned towards the elevator. People parted and stepped back making a wide pathway. 'Gooooddd evening Ladies and Gentleemenn..'  
She heard his voice before she saw him. Well fuck.

'We...' A bodyguard fell to the floor, pushed by masked thugs. They walked through people, pointing guns threateningly, '..aree tonight's entertainment. '

Lana cowered behind Anna who had her hands up as a gun pointed in their direction. The Joker sauntered in the silence, his shotgun slung nonchalantly over his shoulder, grabbed an appetiser from a plate, 'I only _have_ one question.'

'Where. _Is_. Harvey Dent?' A grave and slightly awkward silence came in response. The Joker stood still, munching. No one knew what to do, the security downstairs and in the lift had obviously been taken down already.

'Do you know where Harvey is?' The Joker strode and grabbed a glass of a disgusted looking woman, 'Do you know who he is?' The glass clanked onto a table.

'Do you know where I can find Harvey?' The Joker asked a man in mock sincerity, 'I need to talk to him about something..' His gloved hand moved the mans frozen face from side to side, '...just something, little, huh?' The Joker rolled his eyes and pushed his face away, 'No.'

His crowd interrogation was moving closer towards her now, and Anna could feel Lana's shallow breath on her shoulder. All they had to do was just not bring any attention to themselves, he wouldn't see her. And he didn't, he walked right past her to a man on her right, grabbing his appetiser from his hand, 'You know, I'll settle for his loved ones..'

'We're not intimidated by thugs.'  
Anna felt the tension in the room tighten, he was the first person to speak besides the Joker.  
He looked at the man in confusion, as if he didn't quite understand what he was talking about, 'You know..' The Joker placed his shotgun on the table, '..you remind me of my father.'

The man only stared back, 'I _hated_ my father.'  
The Joker placed a knife to the mans cheek, Anna felt Lana grasp her hand with a dramatic gasp in the silence. Lana's sudden movement shocked Anna, her champagne flute fell, shattering into pieces on the ground. The people surrounding the two girls shuffled back awkwardly, Anna looked down at the glass remains, her mouth open, not wanting to look up. It had made a loud noise in the silence. She slowly lifted her head, Lana's breath getting sharper behind her. She looked at the Joker, who still stood with his knife to the man, whose eyes locked on Lana and then on Anna.

Her insides shrivelled inside her, her hand still frozen as if she was still holding the glass.  
'Well wellll...' His knife moved away from the man whom he pushed away and was met with a thug. 'If it isn't Gotham's _golden_ girl of the hour..'  
He pointed his knife at her, 'Dent's..ahh..guest of _honour_...'  
Lana realised he was talking to Anna and she released her hand taking a step back as the Joker advanced, '..His _celebrity _sidekick...'

He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her out into the opening of the crowd, 'This!' The Joker implied loudly, pointing at Anna, 'This is your answer to justice in Gotham..'  
'Someone who works for a .. for a _mob_ _owned_ bank..' The Joker walked behind and around Anna who stood mortified, 'And who **surrenders **in the face of danger...'  
'Hm?' The Joker spoke solely to Anna now with a giggle, who felt herself edge subconsciously away, 'Or..or did..did you not tell them that..?' He looked around at the crowd in mock shock, 'Do they not know the _de_tails..?'

'Okay stop.'

The Joker fluttered his attention away from Anna, who looked with him to see none other than Rachael Dawes, standing alone with her arms crossed. 'Well..' He made a small gesture and one of his henchmen grabbed Anna across the chest, pushing the barrel of a gun to her temple. 'Helloo _beautiful..' _The Joker walked from Anna to Rachael, fixing himself up, 'You must be Anna's little friend..' He advanced on her slowly, 'And Harvey's _squeeze_.'

Anna felt the thug's arm dig into her ribs and against her lungs and she began to struggle, pulling at his arm with her good hand. He merely pushed then gun harder against her skull, 'Move more and I'll blow your brains girly..' He muttered against his makeshift clown mask. The Joker was still with Rachael and Anna thoroughly hoped for her safety, Dent had introduced Rachael to her and she seemed genuinely nice. But Anna couldn't hear what they were saying while preoccupied with the mans arm wrapped around her like a python. 'Can't breathe.' Anna choked and he readjusted him grip only slightly, 'I said shut up.'

He pushed the gun harder and Anna's head was pushed down, facing the floor. She struggled further until the man gave a sudden jolt, 'Shit.' And stepped backwards, forcing her head up. The Joker skidded across the floor as none other than Batman himself took on three of his henchmen. Anna stared in shock and awe, she'd never seen him in real life before, 'Shit.' The man holding her repeated and the Joker grabbed him who let go of Anna and flung him into the fight. Anna stumbled to the floor at the Jokers force.  
Batman was battling three men at a time now and the Joker had just jumped back in, and yet _no one_ was even attempting to help. They just stared on like idiots, but Anna spotted the gun. The Jokers shotgun still lay where he had placed it on the table. Just grab it and point it at the Joker, do something, _anything._..

She scrambling up and grabbed the shotgun, holding it awkwardly in her left arm she turned to face the Joker. But he was backing away, the fight had stopped suddenly. He had Rachael Dawes at gunpoint, backing up towards the full length glass window. 'Drop the gun' Batman addressed the Joker.

'Oh, sure..' He walked further towards the window, '..you just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are. Hmm?!'  
Anna pointed the gun straight at him which resulted in a high pitched giggle, 'Oh, I'd put that down before you injure yourself..'  
The Joker pointed the gun behind him and shot at the glass which shattered immediately, 'Or better yet don't!' He pushed Rachael out, only holding her by the elbow, 'And how's your aim, leftie?'

'Let her go.' The Batman spoke again as the wind whipped against Rachael's hair. The Joker looked at him as if questioning his stupidity, 'Very poor choice of words..' His face broke out into an entertained grin as he let go of Rachael, the room gasped as Batman flung himself out the window. The Joker dived out of the way, still laughing, waving his gun around, 'Oopsie..' He gestured at his men, 'Gotta go!' He began to flaunter off, ignoring Anna's gun still pointed at him, 'Sorry we couldn't stay for dessert..' He went as if to give some people a group hug and they all backed away, 'Oh, but I will miss you all.. and that _Batman,_ he _is _a _fun _party guest..'

He turned on his heel to be within two metres of his own shotgun, pointing directly at him. 'Ohhhh...' He cocked his head to the side, 'You still pointing that thing.'  
Anna glared at him, his men were already at the elevator, she could shoot him now and get away with it.  
'Well I hate to burst your bubble..' The Joker stepped towards her and she lifted the gun slightly higher to his head, 'But that..' He pointed at the gun, 'That is.. it's a family heirloom actually.'  
'Don't move.' Anna shuffled on her feet but he ignored her taking another step, 'It was my fathers you know, it's my favourite gun.'  
'Reminds me of him.' The Joker walked even closer and Anna shook her head, 'Take another step I shoot.'  
He lifted his leg, Anna squinted and pulled the trigger. 'Click.' A tiny little sound, it was empty.

The Joker gave a ravishing grin and yanked the gun from Anna's grip, 'Two shotgun shells..' He admired the gun, 'One to kill the guard..' He pretended to shoot Anna, 'Another to cause some _chaos..'_ He pointed the gun to the ceiling.

'Lesson. Of. The. Day.' He waved the shotgun like a school teacher, 'Never leave a loaded gun unattended.'  
'Not like this one..' He looked at the smaller gun in his other hand, 'Might cause some trouble.' He fumbled with it and it shot suddenly into the air causing Anna to jump and some gasps among the crowd. 'See?'  
He looked towards the elevator and then back at Anna, 'I am sorry to cut this short..'  
'I really am!' He addressed the crowd now, walking towards the elevator, pointing his gun randomly, 'I hope to see you all soon!'


	5. Car chase on Lower 5th

Three days later

* * *

Her eyes fluttered, something was over her face, blocking her view in the dim light. Must be her duvet or a blanket, she must be in bed... But if she was in bed, why was the ground moving from underneath her? Anna's eyes widened and she jolted up, her hands were free and she tugged at the bag or sack over her head, 'What the-'

'Haha oh a HEHE! WOO ha ah HAA!' The Joker sprang over, waving his hands wildly and laughing, he sat on Anna, straddling her hips.

'What! What are you doing!?' Anna slapped at him with her left arm, 'Get off me!'

'Ah ta-ta-ta, calm yourself...'

'Get off me!' Anna looked at his in disbelief, 'Why are you on_ top_ of me!?'

'Don't flatter yourself..' The Joker rolled his eyes, 'I prefer brunettes, get your mind out of the gutter.'

Anna tried to catch her breath, what the hell was going on?

Where are we?' Anna looked around, 'What is this?' They were clearly inside the back of a truck or an of some sort, and it was moving. Three other men dressed in similar clown masks as the ones she had seen on the day of the bank robbery were sat against one side of the truck. On the other side were black boxes, guns, ammunition...

'This.. ah..' The Joker looked around, 'It's yeah, it's a truck, yep. Yeah. It's a truck.' He nodded ferociously.  
Anna shook her head, 'Wha-..Why?'  
'Well!' The Joker threw his hands in the air, 'Why else?! But to shoot out of!'

Anna gave a horrified look as the Joker knocked on the side of the wall, 'See, over here. This opens, like a sliding door...' He gestured back towards the men, 'So we can then, we just _shoot _stuff right out.' He brought his arms into his chest, 'I mean, I, I think it's great.'  
'Why?' Anna could hear the panic in her voice, 'Why shooting? Why are you-..Why am I here?!'

'_Why?'_ The Joker shook his head as if scolding her, 'Always asking _questions_... never just appreciating the here and _now_ are we?'  
'But...' Anna looked at him in awe, 'Why are you doing this?'

'What?!' The Joker looked at her in what she presumed to be mock disgrace, 'But don't you _know?!_'  
Anna didn't reply and he threw his arms up once again, 'Why Batman has given himself _up! _And he's none other than your buh-ddy, Harvey Dent!'

'So?!' Anna had heard the news, it had come as a shock but it still didn't explain her situation. 'Sooo...' The Joker looked down at her, 'We're gonna kill him.'  
'Kill him.' Anna breathed in sharply.

'Yep, see he.. he's being moved and we've set a _'_diversion' in place for him and his little _guardians.. _And then we'll conveniently end up on the same road! Lucky them!'

Anna could only stare at him, Harvey Dent was walking into a death trap. And they could do nothing.

'Take down Batman and Dent at the same time!' The Joker looked overcome with glee, 'Like killing two birds with one bazooka.. stone. One stone. Like killing two birds with one stone.'

'How am I here?'

'Well now that, that's life's biggest question isn't it? How are we all here?' The Joker looked at her thoughtfully, 'Some say evolution-'

'I mean...!' Anna interrupted his attempt to irritate her, 'How did I get here, in this truck?'

'Well that depends..' The Joker raised an eyebrow, 'How was your breakfast?'

'I didn't have any.'

'Then how was your lunch?'

'You drugged me?!'

'You know... You really should have breakfast ..'

'Then _why_? Why did you bring me here?'

'Oh now that, that is interesting..' The Joker edged a little closer, 'You and your morals, your beliefs... I wanted you too see them destroyed... So you could see who is right when chaos takes over this city, and Gotham's true hope...' He waved his hands as if performing a magic trick, '..is gonnee.'

'You're evil.'

'Why thank you, but let's also not forget you tried to kill me...'

'And you didn't try to kill me?'

'You thought that gun was loaded and you pulled the trigger..' The Joker ignored Anna's argument , 'Now that, that is just... That surprised me. I was a little hurt I won't lie... What happened to no kill Kate over here huh?'

'You deserved to die.' Anna spat.

'Oh now, little harsh -'

'You belong in a cell!'

'Mmm..' The Joker smiled, 'Maybe we could share one?'

'Ughh..' Anna grimaced.

'Again, mind out of the gutter. You know there are a lotttt of criminals in this town, they might have to double up, for financial reasons... But you knew that.'

'I would r-'

A knock came from the front seat of the truck. 'We're heeerreee..' The Joker whistled, getting up and then turning back to Anna, 'Now remember, you are here to observe, not to interfere.' The Joker tapped his finger of his nose, 'Don't you forget now, or you might 'accidentally' get one between the eyes...'

The truck jolted to the side and Anna slid across the floor, the others were holding onto support handles from the ceiling and Anna stood up, grabbing one too.

'Woohaaahh!' He slid the door of the moving viechile open and orange light spilled in. They were driving along and underground tunnel, and the speed of the truck made the place windy. The Joker took a gun from one of the men and aimed at a squad car, with one eye squinted he began to shoot. The sound was deafening, 'Jesus!' Anna shouted, the bullets rattling against the car. He threw the gun on the ground, gesturing for another, this time a shotgun pointing at the swat van. But it wasn't enough, one man handed him something huge, like a mini canon...

'What the hell is that!' Anna shouted but was ignored as The Joker shot it, blowing a squad car into flames making her scream, 'Oh my God! Oh myyy God!' She let go of the handle over her head and stumbled towards the opening so she was right next to the Joker, 'Oh my God! Stop!'

'Hold onnnn...' He shot again and the squad car behind the swat van blew into flames right in front of them, Anna could feel the heat of the fire on her skin. 'Mmmm now for...' The Joker loaded up again. 'What...' Anna saw something approaching, big like a tank and black,'...is that?'

'Hmm.' The Joker stuck his head out the door but it was coming fast for the swat van, 'What the hell is that?' One of the men shouted and the other replied, 'Is that..' But it went flying, over the swat van, just in time for when the Joker pulled the trigger, hitting the thing square. Anna screamed as debris from the explosion flew into the truck and it skid to a tumbling halt. She slammed against the other wall, one of the men went flying out, 'Holy shit...' Anna shook, her hands covering her ears in shock, 'Holy shitttt.'

'Come on...' The Joker grabbed her wrist, 'Can't stop nowww.'

He pulled her out and she was dragged to the front, 'But that was Batman! So Harvey Dent isn't Batman! Not if he's in the back of that swat van?!'

'Nooo...' The Joker grabbed a shotgun off the dead driver, 'We still wanna kill him though.'

'Bu-'

'Harvey Harvey Harvey Dent...' He hummed to himself, 'Excuse me.' He shoved the body out the door and pulled Anna in, 'I wanna driveee. And you get to ride shotgun.' He waved the gun at her, '_Shotguuunnn. Ha haa..'_

The truck came to life again and began to follow the van along a sharp corner with a swerve, 'I like this job I likeee it...' The Joker could barely contain his aggressive excitement while Anna clutched to her seat, pulling her seatbelt on. 'Helicopter.' She muttered and the Joker looked up, throwing a walkie talkie to her, 'Press the button..'

She looked at him . 'Press it.'

Anna pressed it reluctantly. 'Tell them to rack em up.'

Anna hesitated again and the Joker tapped between his eyes, 'Rack them up.' Anna said lowly into the speaker. The Joker made a gesture to continue so she held down the button and cleared her throat, 'Rack em up... _rack em up_...'  
She let go of the button and the Joker grabbed the device off her, 'What are they racking up?'

'All a part of the surprise...' The Joker had his eyes on the road, '..now to see the fireworks!'  
The helicopter began to spin violently out of control, swerving and plummeting towards the ground, right in front of the swat van..  
'Those people are going to die!' Anna clutched the dashboard in pure horror.  
'Oh, I'm counting on it..' The helicopter crashed to the road with immense force, creating an almighty explosion that echoed on the Joker's face, 'WOO HAHA haha ha!' He slapped the steering wheel in delight.

To Anna's amazement the swat van escaped the full force of the helicopter and the Joker kept chasing it, giggling as if holding back another laughing fit. Anna closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer, 'Now there's a batman.' The Joker muttered and Anna opened her eyes, 'Batman?'

'Oh you wanna play?' The Joker addressed the motorcycle-type-thing driving right at them, 'Come on-come on-come on...'  
'Jesus he's going to shoot..!' Anna could feel tears spilling down her face, this was it...  
But he didn't shoot. He just swerved past, or under? Anna looked at the Joker who looked to the left and then to her in a moment of curiosity and confusion.  
'Wh-?'  
Gravity seemed to lift from underneath them, the windscreen looked down at the ground instead of at the street, the truck had overturned. Anna screamed. Her seatbelt strapped her to the chair as they crashed to the ground, an airbag popping up in front of her face. It landed upside down and Anna heard the Joker groan as he lifted himself off the roof of the truck, which was now the floor, having not been wearing a seatbelt. 'Oh _wow_..wow wowww...' He shook his head then looking dizzily up at Anna, clicked open her seatbelt. She fell smack down with a short surprised yelp, 'Owww..' She groaned, feeling warm blood run down her temple.  
He stumbled outside, disorientated from the crash and Anna crawled, rolling out, exhausted.  
A series of shots coming from the gun the Joker was holding made her jump, coming back to her senses, he was walking drunkenly, stumbling over his own steps. But he kept walking, flicking his hair and aiming his gun..  
Anna lay still on the ground, she wasn't going after him... 'Hands up.' Someone spoke behind her, 'Oh thank God...' She turned towards the police man. 'I said hands up!' He shouted at her.  
'What?' Anna raised her arms, 'No, I'm innocent! He-!'  
'You're under arrest.'  
'No, I'm-' Jim Gordon walked past, dressed as a swat officer, but Jim Gordon was dead as of two days ago?  
'Step away from the vehicle and put you hands where I can see them Miss.' Anna looked away from Jim Gordon and to the police officer, 'I told you! I'm innocent!'  
'Step away.'  
Anna shook her head in disbelief.  
'Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.'


	6. Interrogation Room pt 1

1 hour later

* * *

'I didn't do this.' Anna readjusted her awkwardly placed handcuffs, 'I would _never..'_ She closed her eyes, '_..ever _work with someone.. someone like him.'

'I believe you.' Jim Gorgon sat down on the other side of his desk.

'Really?' Anna narrowed her eyes, 'You know your the first person to say that.'

'I really..' He pushed his glasses further onto his nose, '..I really do Anna.'

'Then why am I still here? Chained up?'

'Because unfortunately, your story doesn't add up.'

'It doesn't add up? How?'

'You say you were drugged, there were no traces of any kind of drug in your system...'

'You're saying I got into that truck voluntarily?!' Anna shook her head, 'I'm not crazy! I woke up with a bag over my head! Maybe.. I don't know, maybe he knocked me out or something?'  
'Even still, we've had more than one anonymous tip saying that you helped rob Gotham General Bank. And you seem to know each other. And then you turn up together again..' Gordon shrugged, 'You can see how things don't seem to fit together.'

'But _you _believe me?'

'Yes.' Gordon sighed, 'Harvey Dent told me about you, you know. Said only good things. And this..' He pointed towards his office door, 'This is the Joker we're dealing with, sometimes things just don't add up.'

'So you can let me go.'

'Unfortunately...'

Anna let out a groan of impatience.

'The others don't agree with me, they think you could easily be his accomplice...'

'So, what? I'm going to need a lawyer?'

'Maybe.. but not just yet.' Gordon sat up straighter on his seat, 'What if there were something you could do? Something to help?'

'Like... like what?'

'I believe you're not working for the Joker.. but I also believe he has some sort of 'thing' for you...'

Anna gave a disgusted face.

'And I don't mean... I mean he seems to talk to you, he hasn't killed you despite many opportunities...' Gordon looked back towards the door, 'We know nothing about him, no DNA, fingerprints, name... nothing. We could use _any _help we can get because we need him to speak. Because Harvey Dent is missing.'

'Missing?!'

'He didn't make it back after the chase, and we can only guess who is behind it.'

'But I can't help you!' Anna looked at Gordon desperately, 'I don't _know_ anything about him! He never told me anything, I have no information! I'm the same as all of you!'

'No, because none of us have ever spoken to him before, to us we're.. we're just talking bodies. But you.. you're something he's made a connection with, someone he's spoken to, interacted with... I believe, we can use this to our advantage.'

'You.. you want me to _talk_ to him?' Anna looked at Jim Gordon incredulously, 'I just want to go _home.._ I don't want to _see _that clown, that man, _ever _again! Let alone _speak _with him!'

'Anna I'm sorry.' Gordon shook his head, 'I know what you've been through and this is the last thing you need.. But we _need _you. Because I can't let you leave, you're still a suspect, but working against him will somewhat prove your innocence on this case. Your cooperation can be used as hard and immovable evidence of court. I hate to say this, but refusing to help us will only add to the accusations against you.'

'I didn't do anything.' Anna barely whispered in desperation, 'He won't talk to me anyway, he'll know it's a ruse. That you sent me in, it'll make you look desperate for answers, bringing in me.'

'Not if you're one of us.'

Anna looked at him in confusion, 'What?'

'Undercover.' Gordon opened a drawer of his desk, placing a police badge in front of her, 'What if you were undercover the whole time.'

Anna looked to the badge to Gordon and back again, 'That's ridiculous.'

'It's not though, it actually all adds up.' He looked at her as if she was missing a huge point, 'You were working undercover, investigating the workings of a mob bank. You know how to handle a gun. The mob that did that to your arm... they went though so much trouble to get you because not only were you affiliated with the Joker, but because they also heard hint you were with the police.'

'What if it changes his perception of me? What if it backfires?'

'It won't, just be you... but with a badge.'

'Me with a badge.'

'And a blazer, clean shirt and maybe wash that blood out of your hair.'

* * *

'Remember..' Gordon clicked the combination of the door, 'Confident, not cocky... But not vulnerable...'

'Yeah, right. Okay.. Right...'

'And relax. You ready?'

'Mmhmmm... And if we go to plan B?'

'Just stay calm..'

'And plan C?!'

'Act like it's all a part of the plan.'

'All a part of the plan...' Anna patted down her hair and straightened her shirt collar.

'Exactly, ready?'

'Open the door.'

The room was dark, like she'd seen in the monitor outside. The Joker sat alone on a desk in the centre, his hands handcuffed and a small lamp by his side. There was a mirror on one side which Anna knew about half a dozen police members were watching intently through.

'Eveningg com-miss-ioner ...'

Gordon walked in first, followed by Anna. 'And spiffy...' The Joker looked at Anna then nodded to her at Gordon, 'Why didnt I get a new pencil skirt and heels?' He licked his lip, 'Couldn't leave with a good_byyee..?'_

Gordon sat down opposite the Joker and Anna stood to the side, 'I believe you've met Anna Hart.'

'Oh I haveee.'

Gordon looked at Anna who pulled the badge from inside her blazer, 'Detective...' She placed it on the table, 'Anna Hart.'

'De-detective!' The Joker looked at her in surprise, 'Ah ha ha hahhh..!' His smacked his handcuffs off the table, 'Now that, oh ha hahh, detective! You, you've been Gordon's..' He nodded to Gordon, '..little puppet? This whole time? Oh noowwww, that's one oh ha hahahh oh ah ha... And I thought you weren't old enough to be drinking champagne!'

'Hm.' Anna gave him a sarcastic smirk.

'Hm!' The Joker mocked her in a high pitched voice.

Anna gave him a dirty look, like a warning.

'Oh! Is that your detective face?!'

Anna didn't reply, keeping her dirty look intact. He just stared at her, his tongue moving around in his mouth. She reached forward to take back her badge and he made a sudden movement, Anna jumped back, 'Woohoo! Hahahaa. Ahhh!' The Joker threw back his head in laughter, 'You, ahaha ah haa, you're _jumpy_..!'

Anna and Jim Gordon watched the Joker giggle to himself until she cleared her throat, 'Harvey Dent...'

'Yes, de-tec-tive-ah.'

'He never made it home.'

'Of course not.'

'What have you done with him?' Jim Gordon spoke.

'Me?!' The Joker looked to Anna and then back to Gordon in surprise, 'I was right here!' He held up his handcuffed hands, 'Who did you leave him with? Hm? _Your _people?'

He leaned forward, closer to Gordon, 'Assuming of course, they are _still_ your people... And not Maroni's.'

'Maroni's?'

The Joker looked to Anna, 'Yes, _Detective.' _She looked to Gordon, thinking... Salvatore Maroni? Was the Joker implying that he was working with Maroni? And that Maroni had people in the police force? But he was a low life criminal, he could hardly get insiders here...

'Does it depress you?' The Joker spoke to Gordon as he realised Anna was lost in thought and not going to reply, 'To know just howww al-one you really are?' Anna snapped back to reality and watched Gordon's stone set face, 'Does it make you feel responsible for Harvey Dents current _predicament?'_

_'_Where is he?' Anna said bluntly.

'What's the time?'

'What difference does that make?'

'Well...' The Joker shrugged at Anna, 'Depending on the _timeee, _he may be in one spot... or _several._'

She looked at him as if to ask him whether he was serious and Gordon let out a sigh, 'If we're going to play games...' He took a key out of his pocket, 'I'm going to need a cup of coffee.' He began to unlock his handcuffs. Plan B.  
'Ahhhhh, the ole 'Good Cop-Bad Cop' routine?' He winked at Gordon who picked up his handcuffs, 'Oh and I know who the bad cop is anyway..' He grinned at Anna, 'Is it really wise, _Commissioner?_ To leave me and _Anna _alone? She can get a little handsy you know... And with the handcuffs gone, I can't promise anything myself...'

'I'm sure she'll be just fine.' Gordon took one last look at the Joker and clicked the door shut.


	7. Interrogation Room pt 2

Anna pulled out Gordon's chair opposite the Joker and sat down, 'Where..' glancing at his free hands drumming against the table, '...is he?'

'This is their _plan_?' The Joker looked at her sceptically and shook his head, 'No, no no no... _this _can't be their _plan...'_

_'_Why's that?'

'They sent you to.. to what?' He raised his arms in question, 'What are you gonna do?' He slapped his arms down to his thighs and leant back in his chair with a sigh, 'Police and their '_plans'...'_

'So you know where he is?'

'You just want to control everything, with your _'plans'..'_ He waved his hand at her question, 'What fun is _control?'_

_'When _things are in control, people don't get hurt.' Anna cleared her throat, 'Not everyone is a fan of chaos.'

The Joker violently shook his head, 'No no no, look how it's worked for you.. You thought you had it all _'under control'. _But Dent, now he's _missing_... And because of '_your people'._...'

'_You _know where he is though.'

'They..' He nodded out the door, 'They just _grasp _and they _grasp... _And the world still _slides _through their fingers to do what it wants...' He leant in closer to the table, 'Control, it's useless. It just, it doesn't work.'

The Joker moved closer towards her, 'They don't understand, that the key..' He moved his hands in a flowing movement, '..is to _slide with it.'_

Anna narrowed her eyes, 'So that's what Harvey Dent is supposed to do? _Slide with it? _With whatever you're putting him though now?'

The Joker looked disappointed she wasn't amazed by his explanation, he looked at her, studying her. He crossed his arms then uncrossed them, finally putting them on the table and looking Anna straight in the face, 'Yes.'

Anna let out a frustrated cry, 'Then you _do _know where he is!'

The Joker looked momentarily confused, 'No now I just said that's what he _should _do.. In whatever situation he _may_ or _may not_ be in..'

'They- _we_ know you're behind this.'

'Do _they_?

'I was with you in that truck.' Anna gritted her teeth, loosing patience, 'You've no way out of this. It is crystal clear what your motive was, to kill Harvey Dent. So stop pretending you have nothing to do with this. You _have everything_ to do with this. I heard you say it, confess it! I can testify against you!'

The Joker scratched the back of his head and clicked his tongue as if weighing out his options, he leant in closer to Anna, 'But will they _believe _you..?'

She tried to remain calm on the surface, he knows they're suspicious of her or else why would he presume they wouldn't believe her. But he must be thrown by the fact she's a 'detective'? She cleared her throat, looking up at the camera and giving it a nod, 'Okay..' There was no more she could do, she just hoped it was enough to convince them of her innocence in the matter, '..I'm done here.'

'So _soon?_ Did I say something to..' He gave her an discomforting wink, '.._throw _you off?'

'I just..' She shook her head, '..can't seem to get through to you.'

'Mmmm..' The Joker gave her a mock understanding look.

'But maybe there's someone else that can.'

The lights flickered on, lighting up the dark room, and even though Gordon had told her that if it came to it, he'd be there... he still gave her a fright. The Jokers head slammed down on the table and Anna jumped, staring at Batman up close for the first time ever. 'Oww..' The Joker groaned, his hand at his forehead, 'Never start with the head, the victim gets all... fuzzy... Can't feel the next-'

The Batman slammed a fist against the Jokers other hand and all he got as a reaction was a shake of the head and a few blinks, 'See?'

Anna took this as a que to leave, she stood up, pulling the chair out. She felt as though something should be said, like a goodbye to the Joker, or a thanks to the Batman.. But this was just such a weird situation, she could find no words.. so she just turned her back.

'Hey _heyyy...' _The Joker addressed her back, 'Where.. now no _no...'_

Anna turned, 'I'm not staying here with..' He looked at Batman, '...with him without a bit of support.'

'Support?' She looked at him sceptically, as if she would give him any support.

'Listen.. ah no offense..' He waved a hand at Batman, 'But _I know_ my rights.. And I'd like a.. ah..non-judgemental...eh _middleman _here in case things get **_out of hand.'_**

'For your sake..' Anna glared at him, '...I hope they get as far out of hand as possible. As much as I'd like to see this..' She glanced at Batman and back to the Joker, 'I'd rather walk out of here right know and never have to see your face again.' She gave him one last glare, 'I hope you rot in Blackgate.'

'Mmm maybe I'll _see you there...'_

'Or Arkham.' She ignored him and turned on her heel, 'That's where you belong.'

'_A ta ta ta taa..' _The Joker said slowly and despite herself Anna looked back, 'I wouldn't leave if I were you.'

'_Why_ not?'

The Joker gestured for Batman to take a seat, 'Because, I can.. I can _promise _you.. _Batman _here.. He won't be getting any answers. Not if you're not here. That's the _deal.'_

'I don't think you're in any position to be making any _deals.' _Anna replied.

'If you want to know the whereabouts of your precocious Harvey Dent, I'd stay.'

Anna took a deep breath, looking at Batman who merely stared at her, to the door. She sighed, walking back to the table and standing at the side, in between Batman, who had sat down, and the Joker, 'Fine.'

'You wanted me.' The Batman spoke for the fist time and the Joker and Anna turned towards him, 'Here I am.'

'I wanted to see what you'd do, and you didn't disappoint.' The Joker replied casually, 'You let five people die. Then you let Dent take your place. _We...' _He nodded to Anna, 'We were trying to kill him because of that, because we thought he was you! Even to a guy like me that's cold.'

Batman thankfully ignored him, 'Where's Dent.'

'Those mob fools want you gone so they could get back to the way things _were_. They had a plan didn't they _Dectective?' _ The Joker ignored him back and glanced at Anna, 'To _kill the Batman.' _He looked back at Batman, 'But I know the truth. There's no going back. You've changed things. Forever.'

'Then why do you wanna kill me.'

The Joker burst into giggles, jumping in his chair with glee, 'I- I don't wanna _kill_ you!' Anna looked at him in confusion, was that not exactly what he wanted to do? 'What would I do without you! Go back to ripping off mob dealers?'

'No no no no...' He changed to a more serious tone, 'You **complete **me.'

'You're garbage that kills for money.

'Don't talk like one of them.' The Joker snapped, 'You're not.'  
'You either.' He looked at Anna, 'Even if you'd like to be. Both of you, pretending to work on their side, pretending to be like them. You're not.'  
'To them..' He readjusted his waistcoat, '...you're just a _freak._ Like me. They need you right now. When they don't they'll cast you out, like a leper. '  
He watched the two of them for a reaction, 'See their _morals_, their _code_, it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world _allows_ them to be. I'll show you, when the chips are down these, ah, these _civilized people,_ they'll eat each other.'

Anna wished she could disregard his opinion, but he was right the last time. Gambols men fought to the death, but they were criminals, surely _civilised_ people wouldn't do the same?

'See I'm not a monster.' The Joker looked at Batman as if the he'd just settled an argument, 'I'm just ahead of the curve.'

Anna gasped and jumped back as Batman grabbed the Joker by the collar and dragged him over the table, 'Oh crap.' she muttered.

'You have all these rules and you think they'll save you.' The Joker said matter-of-factly.

'I have one rule.' Batman slammed the Joker against the wall beside Anna and she took a step away, 'Ohh, then that's the rule you'll have to break to know the truth...'

'Which is?' Finally! An answer!

'The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules.' Anna shook her head, he just would not give a damn straight answer, 'And tonight you're gonna break you're one rule.'

'I'm considering it.'

'Well there's only minutes left so you're gonna have to play my little game if you wanna save one of them.'  
Both Anna and Batman stood still, 'Both.'

'You know for a while there I thought you really were Dent the way you threw yourself after her...'

'Dawes.' Anna muttered to herself and Batman suddenly flung the Joker onto the interrogation table with a massive clang. He grabbed the chair and lodged it under the handle of the door, 'Ooh, woo, ha ha ha!' The Joker laughed on the table, 'Look at you go! Does Harvey know about you and his little boney?!'

Batman shoved him against the glass of one of the walls, 'Jesus...' Anna backed away. 'Where are they?!'

'Killing me isn't making a choice.' The Joker lay on the ground now. 'It was between one life or the other. Your friend the District Attorney or his blushing bride to be?' He started to laugh as Batman hit a blow to his face, making him laugh harder, 'Woo, woo, ha ha ha ha ha ha! You have nothing! Nothing to threaten me with! Nothing to do with all your strength!'

Batman pulled his up again by the collar in pure frustration and anger.

'Don't worry, I'm going to tell you where they are!' The Joker licked his lips, 'Both of em! And that's the point! You'll have to choose! He's at 25052nd Street... and she's on Evan Wax at Seciro.'

Batman discarded the Joker in a flurry and was out the door in a few seconds after hearing the locations. Anna stood perplexed, her arm not in a cast at her mouth in shock. The Joker rolled on the ground breathlessly and sunk into a sitting position against the opposite wall, 'Ahhh...'

'Both of them.' Anna shook her head, 'How long do they have?'

'Hah?' The Joker looked at Anna as if he'd forgotten she was there, 'Ohhhh... we'll see...'

'Innocent people...'

'Mmmm...' The Joker murmured without interest.

'They were just innocent, _good _people..'

The Joker looked down at his fingernails.

Anna clenched her jaw in furry and grabbed the lamp on the table and flung it at the Joker, 'You. Are. Such. An. _Asshole.'_

'_Wohaaaaayy!' _The Joker rubbed his head where the lamp hit him square, '_What _has gotten into you?!' He gave her a mock sympathetic look, 'Sudden case of PMS?'

'Ugh! Y-'

The door opened and a police officer walked in, 'Anna, it's okay. It's over. You can leave now.'

'I..' Anna stamped her foot against the floor, 'Am _not _leaving, not until I get to see this... _this man_... escorted to Blackgate prison. For good.'

'I'm going to take over.' The man shook his head, 'I'll stay here with him, he won't get anywhere...'

The Joker gave a scoff.

'I promise.' The man gave the Joker a disgusted look, 'I'll take care of this. You can leave.'

Anna shook her head, 'I'm staying, I'm not leaving now. Not now.'

The officer shook his head and sighed, 'Are you sure?'

'I'm not leaving.'

'Fine.' He clicked the door shut behind him.


	8. Collecting Lau and the squad car

The Joker hummed softly under his breath.

'Stop humming.' Anna stared at him from the opposite wall. She was standing, leaning against the glass, starting to realise that these heels may look professional, but kill to wear.

He creaked his head to the side, silent for a moment. He gave her a smile, looked at the officer whose name turned put to be Gerard Stephens, and began to hum again.

'Stop.' Anna repeated.

The Joker paused and cleared his throat, 'I-I'm not doing anything!' He nodded towards Stephens, 'I think it's...' He mimed, '_That guy...'_

'It's you.' Anna reached down and took off her shoes, one after the other, 'And stop.'

'I don't even like that song.'

'That's great.' Stephens muttered.

'Don't even wanna know what song?'

'We don't _care.'_ Stephens looked blankly ahead.

'Speak for yourself, _Detective __Anna?'_

'Stop.'

Another few minutes of silence descended on the trio. The Joker continued to look around, from the camera, to Stephans, to Anna. Stephans kept his eyes locked on the wall and Anna at the ground.

The Joker shuffled on the ground and cleared his throat, 'I _want_... my phone call.' He fumbled with his fingers before looking up, 'I want it, I _want it._ I want my phone call.'

'That's nice.'

'You're not getting your phone call.' Anna crossed her arms, 'Seriously you think we'd hand you a _phone._ Really.'

The Joker rolled his eyes and looked back to Stephens, who was still staring at the wall, 'How many... of your _friends... _have I killed?'

Anna took a deep breath in, don't answer him, _don't answer him._ Stephens flinched at the question.

'Don't listen to him.' She said lowly, this was clearly a sensitive subject. Working in law enforcement meant losing friends, especially when the Joker was involved.

'I wasn'**t** talking to _you...'_

Anna glared at the Joker and Stephens looked at the Joker for what seemed like the first time, 'It's fine Anna. See I'm a twenty year man.'

The Joker nodded as if impressed, 'And I know the difference between the punks who need a lesson in manners and the freaks like you who would just enjoy it.' He paused for a moment, 'And you've killed six of my friends.'

The Joker raised his eyebrows and turned to Anna, mouthing the word, 'Six.' in amazement. He shook his head in disbelief and then flicked back his hair, 'And.. ah.. what about.. you..?'

Anna gritted her teeth, 'I'm not cooperating with you.'

'_Sooo... _none. Well at least there'll be no hard feelings between us.'

'Who gave you permission to talk?' Anna gave him an irritated look, 'You're in custody, this isn't the time for chitchat.'

'_IIIII..._' The Joker looked at her as if his request was very simple, '..just want my phone call.'

'Well, you're not getting it.'

The room went quiet again for a few moments until interrupted slowly by the Joker, 'Do you wanna know.. _why _I use a knife?'

Anna saw Stephans flinch.

'Guns are too _quick.' _The Joker was watching him, waiting for him to crack.

'You can't _savour...'_ He smiled to himself as if remembering the details, '...all the _little emotions...'_

'Stop talking.' Anna spoke.

'Oh, and Anna here... oh sorry I meant _Detective...' _The Joker turned from Stephans to Anna, 'She knows _all _about this...'

Anna stood with her arms crossed looking down at him.

'You see, in their _last _moments... People show you who they really are.'

He turned back to Stephans, 'Pumpkin here looked me right in the eye...' He pointed at Stephans eyes, 'And cursed me!' The Joker clapped his hands as if this were the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, 'I mean, I mean that's balls!'

He gave a short giggle, 'Still gets me! But no...' He waved his hand at Anna in a more serious tone, 'You...' He nodded to Stephans, '_Your _friends...now that...'

'_Because_ I've seen them in their last moments, _I know who they really were.' _The Joker eyed Stephans, 'Would you like to know... which of them were cowards?'

Stephans moved suddenly, giving a sigh. He slowly took off his jacket, a small smirk on his face. Anna uncrossed her arms, 'Ehm, what are you..?'

'I have to do this.' Stephans placed his jacket on the ground, 'You can leave if you want to but he deserves it.'

'Uhm..wait-' Anna blinked.

'I know you're gonna enjoy this.' He started walking towards the Joker, 'I'm going to have to enjoy it even more.'

The Joker cracked his neck to the side, readying for the blow as Stephans swung and missed, The Joker ducking and diving away, 'Whoopsie, missed me!'

'Wow wow wow!' Anna stepped away from the wall, The Joker was standing by the table now, 'Sit back down! Gerard, stop and lets just not do this! Lets relax!'

'Uggh!' Stephans glared at the Joker in pure hatred, 'Why don't you stay and fight you coward.'

'Stop! And you!' She pointed to the Joker, 'You sit down!' A mobile Joker made her much more uneasy than an immobile one.

'You're dead!' Stephans jabbed a finger in the Jokers direction.

'Oh but I think it's you that is..' The Joker giggled, 'Why don't we make 6 7! Wo haha ha ah ha!''

'FINE!' Anna shouted as Stephans threatened the Joker again, this time with fouler language, 'I'm calling for backup to restrain the _both_ of you!'

She turned towards the camera and there was a scrambled as the Joker raced towards her... to grab one of her discarded shoes.  
Anna turned back to see the commotion, just in time to watch the Joker plunge the heel of one of her shoes into Stephans' throat. Anna screamed as he pushed him to the ground and Stephans thrashed on the floor, 'Ah ah!' The Joker had her with a piece of broken glass at her throat, 'Don't use that scream too much or you'll end up like him, he doesn't even have a voice box anymore poor guy!'

'Oh my God..' Anna took sharp, traumatised breaths, 'You killed him!'

'Not yet..' Stephans still thrashed on the ground, 'Open the door or she gets it!' He said to the camera. Stephans stopped moving, 'And _there _we are.' The door clanged open.

The Joker shoved Anna through and out another door, the piece of glass scraping against her throat. They moved quickly into the offices she'd been escorted through earlier and chaos erupted. The police working there pointed guns at them in surprised panic, 'Let her go!', 'Stop!', 'Hold up! Stop right now!'

'Just shoot him!' Anna shouted and the glass pushed tighter against her skin.

'What d'you want!?'

'Hm?'

'What do you want!?'

'Sorry? Oh ehm...' The Joker pulled Anna closer to him, 'I just want my phone call.'

The police officer speaking to the Joker looked at him in confusion. 'Don't give it to him!' Anna said desperately,'Just shoot!'

The Joker gave a short, 'Hm.' and held out a hand as the police officer threw him a cell phone, 'Alright.', ignoring Anna's pleads.

Anna struggled against his grip as he dialled a number into the phone, 'A sh sh shh..' He finished dialling and they waited to hear what the phone call was about.

A sudden huge crash erupted in the building and the room shook as the Joker pulled her to the ground being the only person prepared for the explosion. Pages flew everywhere, the room in disarray as the Joker stood up. Anna remained on the floor, her eyes still shut tight, afraid that there was another explosion or that she might just be dead.

'Come on.' The Joker pulled her up after admiring his redecoration of the office for a few moments, 'We've got a Chinese CEO to collect..'

Anna stared at him in horror, 'I'm not going anywhere with you!'

'Oh but I need your help..' He began to pull her from the room.

'What makes you think I'm going to help you!' Anna tried to yank her arm away, 'Look at all these people! You killed them all!'

'Hmmm, where do you think they put my coat... and my _knives._ Oh but you'd know, you work here don't you?'

'Let. Me. _Go!'_ Anna tugged at his grip, 'I'm not helping you!'

'But you are..' He continued to pull her.

'Why don't you just kill me?!' The Joker stopped pulling and turned to look at her.

'Why am I not dead!?' She continued, 'Why are you still dragging me around by your side?! Either let me _go_ or kill me already!'

'Well because timing is _everything_, and it's just not _time _to kill you right now.' The Joker waved his hand to elaborate, as if in a hurry.

'Oh right, because you've probably exceeded the death limit for tonight have you?!'

'Oh no no..' The Joker shook her head as if the idea were preposterous, '...you can never exceed _that _limit.'

'Well I'm not helping you, so you're going to have to kill me, or let me go. Now.' Anna accepted her faith and let her arm fall limp.

'Ah!' The Joker shook his finger at her, 'Didn't think I'd let you give up that easily did you?!'

'What?'

'Did you _know_ that Aunty Penny is a mob queen in her own right?'

'Aunt Penny?' Anna looked at him in confusion.

'Mmm, working for a mob owned bank is one thing... But using it to your advantage is another...'

'What are you talking about!?'

'She used her chubby little thumbs to dwindle in the mobs affairs and.. ah.. corrupt bank accounts all to pay for her parentless nieces collage education. And _of course_ a little extra on the side for luxurious.'

'She wasn't _corrupt!'_ Aunt Penny surely didn't have the intellect to be corrupt!

'Don't you see, it's enough to put her in jail for life.' The Joker exhaled in deep satisfaction, 'Perfect leverage... And oh she _was _corrupt, although not anymore since she's dead.'

'_What?!'_ Anna nearly choked on her own breath, '**What!?'**

'Mmm, I saw to it myself...' The Joker looked up as if trying to remember, 'And, yes, yeah she wasn't the best Aunty to have... she was a coward yep. I would know, I used a knife.'

Anna began to hit the Joker in the arm with her free wrist that was in a cast, it was painful but she didn't even care because all she wanted to do was hurt him as bad as she could. 'Ah ta ta stop with the tickles, we have work to do.'

'**No!' **Anna shouted and the Joker looked at her in surprise, 'I'm _**not** _going with you. My Aunt is _dead_, you _have_ no leverage!'

'Oh! I nearly forgot! Its not your _Aunty _that's leverage, its _what she told me__...'_ The Joker shook his head in disapproval, 'She really was a coward, spilled _everything _about you to save her own skin... Including your _best friend__...'_

Anna stood still, 'No..'

'Mmm, I wonder why you didn't tell me about her, did you tell her about _me? _Does she know about _us? _

'Stay _away_ from her!'

'I thought that's what girls _do, gossip_ about their latest _romantic interest..'_

_'_If you _touch _her...'

'It was hard you know, since you had no family...' The Joker licked his lips, '..And Penny doesn't count, no one would care about losing _her... _I had to go for the _friend.'_

'You're using people as leverage so that I'll help you with your schemes.' Anna gave a disgusted look and tried to wrench her hand free, 'You're _sick.'_

_'_Works _every _time.' The Joker looked at her as if she should be impressed, 'Oh and your 'friend', unless you.. ah.. _help_ me. Penny won't be the only one needing a funeral, that is if you can find the remains-'

Anna pulled her uninjured arm free and attempted to slap him across the cheek, hard... but he gabbed her wrist mid-action, 'A-_ta ta..._a temper.. ah tantrum won't help your situation. I'd really learn to keep a check on those emotions, hormones going all over the-'

'**Fine.**' Anna wrenched her arm free once more, 'I'll do what you want.' She looked at him in pure revulsion, 'You don't hurt my friend.'

'I'm a man of my word.' The Joker gave a mocking bow and with a swift smile, tossed the phone over his shoulder, 'Now go get my coat.'

* * *

Anna threw the purple coat roughly at the Joker.

'_Heeeyyy..._' He caught it and gave her an irritated look, 'This is custom you know. And my _knives?'_

'I put them in the pockets.'

'Mmmm, I'm sure you did. You know I'll be counting them now..'

'Where's Lau?'

'Eager are we? In his cell, like I said. Don't get too excited... We don't want Lau to think we're a pair of giggling school girls.' The Joker gave a sneaky grin, 'That's just you **haha!'**

The Joker kicked the door to the cell room open and Anna followed him inside.

'_Hi.'_ The Joker looked into one of the cells where an Asian man sat cowering, 'Remember me?'

Lau shuffled back in the cell, 'No!'

'Mmmm...' The Joker looked at Anna, 'This is the _squealer...' _He banged at the door and Lau jumped, 'And you did squeal, didn't you?'

Anna recognised Lau from the television screen in the hotel room where the mob bosses held their meetings. The Joker leant against the bars, clinking the keys in his hand. He clinked them slowly into the lock.

The door opened and Lau jumped up, 'No! I'm meant to be safe here!'

'You're never safe anywhere if you're a tell-ah-tale.' The Joker said matter-of-factly, 'Ratting your partners out to the _feds_... ohhh that puts you in the bad books-'

'No! I'm not going with you!' Lau moved to the corner of the cell.

'That's what she said.'

Lau looked at Anna.

'And now we're partners in crime.' The Joker shrugged as if it were inevitable, _'Come on_, we've got places to _be.'_

* * *

Anna sat in the back of the stolen squad car, in the middle seat. The Joker was on the right, Lau on her left. Two people she presumed to be working for the Joker in the two front seats. They were speeding down downtown Gotham with sirens blaring. She didn't know where they were going or why, but Lau seemed pretty terrified. He was tied up and his mouth gagged but her kept shouting muffled words and trying to wriggle free, neither of which were working.

Anna kept her eyes straight in front, not wanting to look at either of the people beside her. Her mind was rattling, _how_ did this happen? How did she end up in this situation? In a stolen government vehicle in between a scamming Chinese crime lord and a raging psychopath. But they had Katherine, her closest thing to family, her best friend... Who knows where she was?!

The Joker had his head out the window like a dog with the wind in it's hair. The car swerved dangerously from side to side, sirens blaring chaotically. Anna clung to the seatbelt she'd put hastily on as her only symbol of safety. Lau was flinging violently beside her, bashing into her sides, wherever they were going... He obviously thought he was screwed. And he was probably right.


	9. Everything burns

Her mouth dropped open in shock and utter disbelief of what she was looking at. It was like something from a cartoon, this could not be real. it was like a mountain, a mountain of _money_.. Dollar bills stacked and stacked, 'Holy shit..' Anna muttered to herself as she walked slowly behind the Joker. He turned to the pile of money with arms raised, 'Ta-daaa!' They were in a container ship, obviously one where Lau had either been hiding the money or where the Joker had it brought after he gave up the real location.

The Joker's two henchmen followed, accompanying a struggling Lau. 'And all thanks-ahh to Mr. _Lau _here!' The Joker gave Lau a mocking welcome smile with a series of claps in his honour before he stopped himself to address the snag in the situation, 'But..' He spoke to Lau as the henchmen brought him closer, 'As we know, actions have _consequences.'_

'For _example_! If I knew a guyyy... who betrayed me...' The Joker studied Lau with squinted eyes and then clicked his fingers suddenly, 'I-I'd chop his head off with an axe!'

Lau let out a scream from underneath his gag and began to wriggle uncontrollably. 'A-ta-taa. Sh sh.' The Joker shook his head in disapproval at Lau, 'No no, sh, that's just an _exampleee_. No, that's not _you_... Unless you want it to be?'

Lau shook his head ferociously, dropping to his knees.

'No!?' The Joker giggled, 'Oh well alrite then! No axe okay, okayyy. I'm gonna be honest, that-that's good news for me, ya know why?'

Lau didn't respond verbally, only with heavy breathing and pleading with his eyes.

'Axe's, I mean they're real... _messy. All _the blood and the-' He waved his hand as if being side-tracked, 'Yeah well anyway, I like a _technique_ wittthh, no mess? You know where it kind of_ cleans _itself up?'

The Joker looked to the henchmen and then to Anna to see if any of them were getting it, 'Uhh, fire.'

Lau was doing more than wriggling this time but the one of the henchmen hauled him over his shoulder. 'We're goin up.' The Joker pointed up and the man began to clump the stack of money awkwardly with Lau. 'Up.' The Joker looked at Anna while pointing.

'What, me?'

'Uuhh, yeah.'

'Go up?'

'Uuhh, yeah.'

Anna stood still, she didn't even know why he wanted Lau up there.

'_Now_.'

'Okay, okay. Fine.' She began to follow Lau and his captor as the Joker passed her out, scrambling gleefully to the top, 'Quick, _quiccckkk_... our 'associates' will be here any moment.'

The second henchman arrived at the top with a chair.  
'On to the chaaiiiirr, tie him upppp..' The Joker spoke in a sing-song voice as his men did just that, roughly tying Lau to the wooden chair as he tried pointlessly to break free.

'Ahh perfect.' The Joker looked down at Lau, admiring his handy work, 'Now I know, I _knoww_, it looks bad.. but really, I'll give you this... despite popular opinion there is honour amongst thieves. So I'll let you die in dignity with some last words.' He pulled down Lau's gag.

'Let me go! I will double the amount of money you are sitting on right now. I can triple it. You let me go...'

The Joker rolled his eyes, 'People like you _never __learn...'_

'I can get you anything! I'll do anything!' Lau pleaded desperately.

'They're your last words? Before you hit the oven? Well okay then.' The Joker reached to cover his mouth before he shouted at Anna this time, 'Please! Please, shoot me! Shoot me in the head... I don't want to burn, no, no, please!'

Anna looked at him blankly. 'Please! My dying, my dying wish! I am begging you!' She blinked at him in shock and was about to reply when the Joker pulled Lau's gag back in place. 'W-wait.. he wants to be shot.' Anna looked at the Joker.

'And I prefer _fire.'_ The Joker addressed her as if talking to a stupid person.

'Well he's going to burn anyway?'

'Ohh, are you taking _pity _on him?'

'You _heard _him. It's his _dying wish!'_

'His _dying wish?' _The Joker shook his head, 'No, nooo... see what if his dying wish was to be set free? Would you set him free? Hm? Or if he wanted some girl to suck his balls for the last time? Would you do the honour of granting his _'Dying wish'?'_

Anna made a disgusted face at the Joker, 'He just wants to avoid _agonising_ pain.'

'Oh well since you're all for boarding the pity train here why don't we just strap you to his lap and you can give him one. Last. Go. Hm?' The Joker shrugged, considering the idea, 'Nice little pity fuck since you care _so _much? And then you two can just cook together like two peas in a.. _burning furnace_.'

'Fine.' Anna shook her head in revolt, 'Have it your way.' She turned to Lau, 'If its any consolation you'll probably die from smoke inhalation.' Anna turned and skid down the pile, nearly tripping over some bills on the floor and wiping an angry tear from her cheek.

'Ahh...'

She looked up to see a familiar face looking at her, people behind him as well, 'So you were workeeng for him eh?' She recognised him from the mob meeting and he looked from her to the pile of money, 'And you _delivered...'_

'I'm not-'

The man ignored her and looked to the Joker, 'No so crazey as you look!'

'I tolllddd you...' The Joker slid down dramatically, arms wide, 'I'm a man of my word.'

The man gave a laugh and pulled Anna to his side, his arm around her shoulder, 'And you have zis one ah? How'd you do it, pull the women in? They never want to work for me, they have a guilty conscience.'

'I don't work for him.' Anna tried to shrug the man off.

'No, no... she works _with_ me.' The Joker took a gun from his coat and began to wave it around as he spoke, 'Anna here is all for ahh feminist equality...'

The man gave a hearty laugh and offered the cigar in his hand to her, 'You want some? No, take it all. It's Cuban, anyone who helps pull zis off is a friend of mine...'  
Anna took the cigar and held it awkwardly in her hand.

The Joker picked up some money from the ground and flung it at Lau.  
'Hey, Joker man. What you do weeth all your money?'

'Ahh...' The Joker kicked some of the bills on the ground and stepped closer to the man, 'See I'm a guy of simple taste. I enjoy ahh dynamite, and gunpower.. and ehh **gasoline.**'  
One of the men working for him began to pour gasoline onto the money, 'What t-' The man holding Anna made a sudden lurch forward, grabbing her tighter.  
'Ah-ta-ta-taa.' The Joker pointed his gun at him, 'See ya know the thing they have in common? They're cheap.'

The man looked at him in confusion, 'You said you're man of your word..'

'Oh I am.' The Joker took the cigar from Anna with a nod, 'Thanks Sweetie...' He looked down at the cigar and blew at the tip, '...see I'm only burning my half.' He threw the cigar onto the gasoline soaked money and it burst immediately into hot orange flames.  
The man stared wistfully in awe at the burning bills in front of him, 'All you care about is money. This town deserves a better class of criminal. And I'm gonna give it to em.'

The Joker poked the barrel of the gun against the mans shoulder, 'Tell your men they work for _me_ now. This is myyy city.'

'They won't work for a freeaakk. They are my men, you shoot me, they shoot you. Then they take your girl, and she'll wish she was dead.'

'_Freaakkk...'_ The Joker mocked his accent, He produced a knife from his sleeve making Anna jump, 'Why don't we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches? Hm?' He threw the knife and grabbed Anna from the man grip and put his arm over her shoulder like the man had done, 'Then we'll see how _loyal_ a hungry dog really is.'  
The Joker's hand with the gun swung in front of her face as the man was carried away by his own men.

'It's not about the _money_, its about sending a message... Everything _burns._' He produced a phone from a pocket and pulled Anna in closer to hear the conversation.  
'I had a vision of a world without batman.'

'I'm sorry, who is this?'

'The mob ground out a little profit and the police tried to shut them down one block at a time.' The Joker continued.  
'And it was so… boring. I've hada change of heart. I don't want Mr. Reese spoiling everything, but why should _I_ have all the fun? Let's give someone else a chance. If Coleman Reese isn't dead in sixty minutes then I blow up a hospital.'  
He hung up and tossed the phone into the flames.

'What?!' Anna whispered, staring at him in shock, 'You're going to _blow up a hospital?!'_

'Well only if Reese isn't dead. I'm not completely heartless.'

'They're not going to let someone _kill_ an innocent man!'

'They'll _try._ Trust me, when push comes to shove, people will do anything for their loved ones... which ahh reminds me...' He rested his gun on her shoulder, 'Your ahhh... friend, best friend, childhood chum-'

'What? What about her?!'

'Mmmm, she's in the hospital.'

'W-what...?!' Anna clapped her hand over her mouth, 'The one you're going to blow up?!'

'Ehhmmm, yeah.'

'Oh my God!' Anna began to run before he grabbed her by the collar, 'Ahhh, relaaxx. We're going there now! How else am I going to detonate the place hah?'

'Why is she even in the hospital?! What did you do?!' Anna pushed his arm away.

'_Mee? _You were with me the whole time! I always get blamed for everything...!'


	10. Gotham General Hospital

'Into the back.' The Joker pointed at the back door of one of the black jeeps outside which Anna presumed belonged to the now dead foreign mobster, he slammed the door leaving her on her own and slapped the front door to alert the driver, 'Gotham General...'

The jeep began to move and she realised she was going on her own, he'd left her by herself... well _thank God. _She had to make sure Katherine was safe and if the Joker was with her, she'd be sure he'd make that difficult for her. She'd find her, get her out and run the hell away from the Joker. Forever. He'd have no leverage, no ruse... It would finally be over.

* * *

Gotham General Hospital was chaotic. In hearing word of the Jokers plan to blow one up, all near hospitals were being evacuated. While there was a chance Katherine could be on one of the already evacuated buses, Anna couldn't risk it. Knowing the Joker it wouldn't be that easy. A police officer tried to stop her as she ran in but she belted past him to the reception, which was empty.  
Anna grabbed a passing by nurse, 'I need to find someone, someone who is here? Katherine Quinn? I don't know where she is?!'

'I'm sorry!' The nurse shook her head, 'I cant help you right know, we need to _evacuate._ You need to _leave. _All of the patients are being evacuated, if she is here, she'll be safe. You need to go-'

Anna let go of her grip on the nurses arm and ran behind the empty reception desk, clicking the mouse on the still running computer. 'Excuse me Ma'am! You cant go on that if you're not an employee-'

'I am, I'm a doctor!' She pulled the white coat off the chair and shoved it on. The woman got distracted by a man needing her assistance pulling a hospital bed and Anna clicked on the register page typing in 'Katherine Quinn'. Nothing, no record. She typed in her own name.

**_GGH Current Patients_**

**Anna Hart. R.32** Status: _Critical_  
**Anna Hart. R.41** Status: _Critical_  
**Anna Hart. R.44** Status: _Critical_  
**Anna Hart. R.68** Status: _Critical_  
**Anna Hart. R.105** Status: _Critical_  
**Anna Hart. R.233 **Status: _Critical_

Anna shook her head at the list, there was no way there were _six _Anna Hart's in Gotham General Hospital at one time, let alone Gotham City. 'Excuse me!' Anna tried to ask the passer by's for help, but they were busy helping patients out. This had to be the Jokers doing, to confuse her, send her on a wild goose chase around the building. But she had to find Katherine!  
Anna pressed print and the page flew out of the printer and she grabbed and began to sprint.

The first two rooms were storage rooms. The next two janitors closets, filled with cleaning supplies. The last two brought her to the second floor and as she approached Room 105 she felt a splurge of hope as the door, unlike the others, had a little window in it like a patients room would have. It was a waiting room. Empty. Anna began to shake with panic, she didn't know how much time she had, how long ago was when the Joker made his 60 minute promise... The place was completely empty now, a voice inside her head warning her the place could blow at any moment, that she should run downstairs and find an exit... but Katherine...

Anna ran as fast as she could to the last room, Room 233 and skidding on the floor she opened it, out of breath and panicky. A bullet flew past the top of her head and she let out a surprised yelp, if she hadn't slipped awkwardly on the floor it would have gone straight through her head. 'What the hell!' Anna landed on top of a body of a police officer and jumped up in horror, 'What-.. _You_!' She looked at the Joker, who was dressed in a nurse uniform and a brown wig, pointing a gun at her.

The Joker pulled the mask from his mouth, 'Oooh you made it! I didn't _thinkk_ you'd get here, you must have been running fast ah?' He placed down the clipboard in his hand, 'You know, I can fix you up a new cast for that hand while you're here.'

'Where is she?!' Is she here with you?!'

'Oh look we have coordinated outfits, you know it was my idea first-'

'Where is she!?'

'_Ahhh_ look what you've done...' Anna noticed the man lying in the bed for the first time as he stirred, 'You've woken up our patient..'  
The Joker fiddled with a remote by the bed and it began to move into an upright sitting position. The man began to shake uncontrollably at the sight of him but he was restrained by the bed. Anna's jaw dropped as she realised it was _Harvey Dent_.

But only half of him was, the other side of his face was mangled and burnt, flesh exposed and raw. The Joker sat down on the side of the bed and looked at him, '..._Hiii...'  
_He let out a sigh as Dent struggled more and removed his wig, ruffling up his hair, 'You know Anna hm?' The Joker gestured to her and Dent's eyes slivered in her direction, narrowing as he recognised her, '_You,_ you helped him. You were with him the whole time, tried to kill me.. _You!'  
'No..'_ Anna shook her head, 'No! I didn't help him, plea-'

The Joker held up his hand to silence her, 'Ah-ta-taa, no need denying now, its not the _time-'  
'_He has my friend!' Anna walked closer to the bed, 'He's going to kill her!'

'And he had _Rachael! _And he did kill her!' Harvey Dent shouted at her.  
'Ah wait, no, no. I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us.' The Joker turned to Dent, 'When you and..ahh..'  
'**Rachael!'  
**'Yeah.. ah _Rachael_ were being abducted... _I _was sitting in Gordon's _cage! _You know I.. I didn't read those charges!'

'Liar..!' Anna shook her head and the Joker rolled his eyes. 'Your men, your plan.' Dent spoke through a clenched jaw.  
'Do I really look like a guy with a plan?' The Joker looked at him sceptically.

'_Yes, _you do.' Anna glared at him, 'You're planning to blow up a hospital, with my friend in it... _Where is she?!'  
_The Joker rolled his eyes a second time and pointed the gun at her, 'Sit down and join the conversation wont you.'  
'Tell me where she is.' Anna said, calmer this time, watching the gun.  
'That seat.' He nodded the gun towards the seat on the opposite side of Dent's bed and she walked slowly over, arms raised, 'Where-'  
'No _talkinggg_.'  
Anna sat down slowly on the seat, arms still raised and the Joker turned back to Dent, 'Where were we? Ahh, _plaaannnsss... _No, see, You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I _caught_ it!' The Joker said excitedly, his arms clenched around an imaginary object, slipping the little gun back in his pocket.  
'You know, I just _doo things. _The mob has plans, the cops have plans, Gordon's got plans, Anna _thinks _she has plans,' He shook his head as he listed them, 'They're _schemers. _Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic… their attempts to control things really are. So…when I say...' He held Dent's hand who tried to shake it off, 'Ah, come here, when I say that you and your girlfriend was nothing personal. You'll know that I'm telling the truth.'

The Joker began to untie the band around one of Dent's hands, 'It's the schemers that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you _had_ plans… and ah, look where that got you.' He gestured to Anna to untie the other hand as he walked across to her side of the bed. She undid the tie and Dent arms flung at her, grabbing her jaw. The Joker grabbed his other hand and Anna pulled his grip free, pushing it away from her.  
'Ah, I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I _turned it on itself_. Look what _we_ did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. Hmm?'

'You know what… you know what I noticed? Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan'. Even if the plan is _horrifying_. If tomorrow I tell the press that like ah, gang banger will get shot or a truck load of soldiers will be blown up. Nobody panics. Because it's _'all part of the plan'_.' Anna was stuck between the Joker and Dent, Dent like her, was transfixed by the Joker, whose eyes looked from one to the other, 'But when I say that one little old mayor will die. Well then everyone _loses their minds!'  
_The Joker took the gun from his pocket, and placed it in Dent's hands then Anna's right hand and his hands on top of hers, 'Introduce a little **_anarchy.'_ **

He pointed the gun to Anna's head and she froze, 'Upset the established order and everything.. becomes.. chaos.' He aimed the gun down and shot Anna in the bad arm. She let out an excruciating scream and tried to free her other arm from the gun but the Joker's hands held it firm in place.  
'I'm an _agent_ of _chaos.'_ The Joker pointed the gun towards himself, 'And you know the thing about chaos? It's _fair.'_

Dent looked at the Joker for a moment, breathing heavily, then took a coin from his side table, 'You live.' One side.  
'Mhmm' The Joker nodded in interest.  
'You die.' He turned the coin the other, darkened side.  
'Mmmm, now we're talking.'

Dent threw the coin and caught it, revealing the clean side, 'You live.'  
'Mmm..' The Joker smiled to the side. 'Now her.' Dent looked at Anna whose head was thrown back in anguish. The gun was pointed to her head and she felt her own finger on the trigger, controlled by the Joker on top. She was afraid no matter what the coin revealed, he'd pull it anyway.  
She closed her eyes.  
'You live.'  
Anna let out a cry in relief and the gun was pulled away from Dent, 'Well, that was interesting.' He launched Anna to her feet as blood poured from her arm, 'But there's a hospital to blow up.'

He just walked out of the room with a skip. 'No!' Anna ran after him, 'No! You cant blow it up! No!'  
'Always want to be a part of things? Following me around? Well then..' The shook his head in disapproval and shoved a device into her hands, stood behind her, arms around and hands on top of hers... on top of a button.  
'Since you insist, you press that button and we all blow up, me, you, your friend..'  
'No!' Anna stared in awe at the device as the Joker pushed her to keep walking, 'No! We have to get her out, where is she?!'

'You know, I _gave _you a chance..' They walked down a stairs to the first floor, 'But you _ran out_ of time, good timing is key-'  
'Where is she?!'  
'Really, you should forget about it. Learn to let go-'  
'Where-!'

The Joker pressed down on the button and Anna looked at him in pure shock, 'You should really learn to shut up.'  
A small bang came from down the hallway, followed by a bigger one. The Joker began to walk towards the door, casually taking the remote from Anna. Something exploded in a nearby room, sending splinters into the hallway, Anna ran after the Joker, 'No, no...!'

They were outside and Anna blocked her ears as another explosion came, 'No, no.. please, please tell me she's not there. No, she's not in there..' The Joker looked at the remote in confusion and then back at the building, 'Noo, she's not in the building...'  
He fiddled with the remote and then tapped it hard and a sudden massive explosion came, making both Anna and himself jump. He climbed inside the back of one of the evacuation buses and Anna followed him as fire erupted from behind them.  
'She's not inside?!' Anna asked the Joker, hope lifting her heart as he sat down and she stood, waiting for an answer, 'What? Oh no, no... she's on top of it. Taped to a tank of gasoline.'

'W-what? No! No! Please tell me you're joking! PLEASE?! NO!'  
'A sh, sh...' The Joker pulled her into the seat beside him, 'Sh now... we both know it had to be done.'  
'WHAT?! No, **NO!** You absolute **PRICK!' **  
The Joker looked at her shamefully as if he'd disgraced him by using a bad word.  
'She's _dead! **Dead! **MY BEST FRIEND! Katherine... she, she's dead...'  
_The Joker looked at her as she began to cry, opening his mouth to say something and then shutting it... in momentary confusion, 'Ahh, whose 'Katherine'?'

'Whose Katherine?!' Anna slapped the Joker, 'You didn't even bother to know her name, your victims are just nameless bodies to you?!'  
'Lana...' The Joker blinked again in confusion, '_Lannaa_ was her name?'

Anna looked at him, 'Whose Lana?'  
'No, _nooo, _whose Katherine?'

Anna could remember telling her Aunt all about the events of Bruce Wayne's fundraiser, it'd been all over the news and of course Aunt Penny wanted to hear the gossip. Lana Lima was the name of one of the models who came with Bruce Wayne and who Anna had been chatting to that night. Aunt Penny thought this was major goss, her niece... talking to a supermodel! The only Lana Anna knew...

'Lana.. Lima?'  
'_Whose Katherine?'  
_'Aunt Penny told you my _best friend_ was _Lana Lima_?'

'Aghhhh...!' The Joker let out a frustrated shout, '_Aunt Penny..._ of _course...'_

Anna's eyes widened, the Joker didn't know her friend, she wasn't dead... she was probably sitting at home watching tv. Anna could go get her, warn her... she could go to the police... She made a sudden movement to get up and the Joker grabbed her by the ponytail, 'Ah, not so fast-ah..'

'Help!' Anna shouted to the front of the bus when she realised there were about five men with clown masks, one pointing a gun at the driver. Anna tried to pull free but the Joker grabbed her injured arm, making her gasp in pain.  
'Now _IIII...I _don't like to have things messed up.' He pulled her hair back so she was sitting upright on the chair, 'I said I was gonna kill your friend if you didn't help me... you're _not_ helping me.'  
He flicked his hair back, 'Now Penny, mmm, she might have tried to help your friend... by making a poor innocent girl the victim instead of _Katherineee_... not very nice Penny. But don't worry, since she's not around to pay... we'll pass it on to next in line m? Don't worry, your friend _will _die... and I'm gonna make you watch. We both know I'm a man of my _worddd.'_


	11. Ferry social experiment

**Keep the reviews coming guys. Little nod to The Joker Blogs in this one, if you haven't watched them on YouTube, you should.**

* * *

They were in the Prewitt building, an unfinished skyscraper overlooking the Midtown River in central Gotham. She'd tried to escape while the Joker used the television crew that were on the bus to film a warning to Gotham city with Mike Engel as broadcaster. He said the city was his, anyone not wanting to play his game should leave, but if they tried to, they'd be in for a surprise. One of his men hit her over the head with his gun and she'd woken up a few moments ago, she recognised the place. It was cold from lack of windows and dark now. What time was it, how long had she been out?  
Dried blood caked one side of her face from the blow and her left arm was tied painfully to one of the support poles, her other arm free. She was sitting down close the edge.  
Anna tried to tug at her arm to wrench it free but the pain was excruciating, she tried again harder this time but cried out in anguish. 'No _shouttinngg_!' The Joker walked over and Anna noticed him for the first time, followed by another man in black who was controlling 3 terrifying Rottweiler's, 'Its night time, people are sleeping... you'll wake the neighbours.'

He looked out over the river, 'Its nearly time, the ferries are about to _leave_.'  
The Joker looked back to Anna, 'I was hoping for two boats of civilians.. but they put the criminals in there too. That's interesting... ah but you weren't here! You were sleeping! You missed so much, I always like letting you know what's going on, you always have such a _strong_ and _honest_ opinion-'

Anna pulled again at her arm and the Joker went on, '_Don't blow up a hospital! Don't burn him alive! Don't kill Harveyyy! Don't take my friend! _Oh and by the way, your friend, mmm, she's lovely..'  
'Asshole!' Anna tugged again, glaring at him through pain.  
'A just graduated psychiatrist hm? Must be hard having a smarter and prettier best friend.. she's not like you, no, _no.._ she has long brown hair.. I told you how I prefer brunettes? She.. oh she's very _beautiful..'_ The Joker closed his eyes with a smile then opened them suddenly, 'I haven't spoken to her yet though, no, I wonder is she _crayzeeyy _like you-'

The Rottweiler's began to growl at the man in black who stood with the Joker, Anna eyed them nervously, 'Ehmmm...these dogs, they're..' He shuffled awkwardly, '..can I have a gun?'  
The Joker looked at him to the dogs with a pause and then shrugged, 'I don't see why not.'  
He took a gun from his pocket and handed it to him, 'Here...ah..?'  
'Theo.' The man took the gun.  
'Theo, mh? Always good to have a new recruit-'

The gun suddenly went off and Anna screamed as it narrowly hit her head. The Joker looked at Theo in disapproval, 'You just lost your ah gun privileges..' He took the gun from Theo, 'If you would've hit Anna, you woul'a kept 'em...'  
'I-I'm sorry! I've never used a gun before-'

'Never used a gun before! Oh now, no, _no_, let me show you!' He handed the gun back to Theo and nudged him over to Anna, 'Find your target...' Theo pointed awkwardly at Anna who sat up, 'Hey-'  
'When you get a good grip...' The Joker eyed Theo, 'When you get a nice grip, don't just pull the trigger... _squeeze it...'  
_Theo looked at the Joker for approval.  
'Well go on then...'  
'Hey, no.. no-'  
'Squeeze it.'  
'Just squeeze it?'  
'No, _no!'  
'_I just pull-'  
_'SQUEEZE **IT-**ahh-'_

A horn sounded loudly and the Joker and Theo looked over, 'Ahhh...' The Joker patted Theo, 'Keep the gun... mmm... but go downstairs to the others... leave the dogs..'  
He shook his head at Anna, 'Beginners ah?'  
'He was going to shook me!'  
'Mmm..' The Joker took something out of his pocket.  
'What would you have done?! If I was dead now?!'  
'What would I have-... Well I-I'd give him a raise..'  
'Who'd be here to witness your deeds? Who'd you blackmail into working for you?!'  
'Well, the whole of Gotham-.. but something tells me you're beginning to enjoy being here-'  
'Not in a million-'  
'Well you're going to enjoy it more now.' Anna realised he was holding a mobile phone, 'Listen to this-ah..'

He cleared his throat and spoke into the phone, 'Tonight your all gonna be a part of a social experiment, you'll imagine the diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate. I'm ready right now to blow you all _sky high._ Anyone attempts to get off their boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight I blow you all up. If _however_ one of you presses the button, I'll let that boat live. So… who's it gonna be? Harvey Dent's _most wanted scumbag collection_ or the _sweet and innocent civilians_? You choose. Oh… and you might want to decide quickly because the people on the other boat may not be quite so _noble.'_

He shut the phone and turned to Anna, arms out as if she should be impressed.  
'Are.. are you serious?' She looked at him in horror.  
'Do I look serious?' The Joker grinned.  
'You're going to blow those boats up?! With those people inside?!'

'_Noo, _one of those boats will blow the other one up, weren't you listening?'  
'Neither of them will do it. You'll end up blowing them both up!'

'Mmmm...' The Joker walked towards her, 'You know what this is like hm?' He leant down, 'Remember that time, ahh.. _Gambol_ was it? His, yeah, his men and you... you had to fight for a place on the _team?_ And you said, '_Oh no, they won't kill each other.' _And then remember when they killed each other?'  
Anna stood up, her arm tied to the pole sliding up with her, 'They were criminals-'

'And _so are these_...' The Joker stood up beside her, 'But see worst of all, they're civilians too, they're.. now they're even worse. Situations like these, its gets 'em... they turn, they stop pretending. They're animals, I told you... they'll _eat_ each other-'  
'They wont-'  
'They _will_, see this is the exact same as our little _Gambol predicament_. You don't believe me? How 'bout we take a bet? You're wrong, I blow up both boats, you're right, I blow up both boats? Sound fair, I've learnt a little bit about fairness these past few days-'

'You're going to blow them both up anyway?! No matter what the outcome?!'  
'Well, the boat that blows up the other should be punished. I mean, that's _fair.'  
'_You're despicable.'  
'Oh wow, now that's a fancy word. Well done..' He tapped her head and she edged away, 'You make sure you're comfortable while watching the bang, yeah? Who knows, you might spot Katherine's remains flying about!'  
'What?! She's in one of the boats?!'  
'I made _sure _of it, just for you!'

Anna cried out in desperation, 'NO, nooo! Why?! Why me? Why did you have to drag me into this?'  
'Mmm, you know. Here's a question... If I gave-..' Anna ignored him so he took his hands to her jaw as she'd seen him do to Rachael Dawes, '..C'mon, look at me, c'mere... If I gave you, right now... the detonator to the criminal ship... you could save _Katherine_ and the civilians... would, would ya do it? Hm? Right know? Blow them up? Save your friend hm? _Right. Now.'_

Anna slowly shook her head... thinking about it... she couldn't, no... even if it meant the worse... '_No.'  
'Aaghh!'_ The Joker pushed her face away, '_Why? Why _are you so stubborn? Hm?'  
He grabbed her head again and shook it, 'Hm? Well?'  
He pushed it from side to side, 'I. Don't. Understand. I mean... I mean this... this situation, people like you... they wont take action. Not if it means killing someone else. No matter how.. _how easy _it is. The push of a button, all your worries _gone. You..._you and the _Batman_. No kill Jill's. Well fortunately... you're outnumbered by people like _me..._ who don't _care. _Or people like _them...' _He nodded to the ferries, '... Who pretend to care, but when the chips are down... You know what-'

The dogs began to bark and the Joker turned his attention away from Anna before a lingering look of curiosity.  
'Ah you made it! I'm so _thrilled_.'  
Anna realised he was talking to Batman. Of course! He wouldn't, _couldn't _let this happen! He'd stop the Joker and his demonic plan, 'Where's the detonator.'  
The Joker looked at him funnily then motioned to the dogs, 'Ahhh, go get 'im.'


End file.
